General  Scott  at  Cbippew  a. 

GEIEEAL  VINFIELD  SCOTT: 

EMBRACING  A  FULL  DESCRIPTION'  OF  THE 

CAPTURE  OF  VERA  CRUZ—  THE  BATTLE  OF  CERRO  GORDO, 

THE  ADVANCE  OF  THE  ARMY  ON  THE  CITY 
OF  MEXICO—  WITH  PLANS  OF  THE  BATTLES. 


to&ole  I-llustratefc  tn  numerous 


NEW  YORK : 
PUBLISHED  BY  A.  S.  BARNES  &  CO.,  51  JOHN-STREET. 

SOLD  ALSO  BY  BURGESS,  STRINGER,  &  CO. 
BOSTON:  REDDING  ic,  CO.— PHILADELPHIA :  ZIEBER  &  CO., 

1847. 


Price  Ttcenty-fre  Cents. 


CONTENTS. 


FAQS 

Scott's    Parentage — Education — Early    Character — En 
trance  into  the  Army 3 

Goes  to  the  Niagara  Frontier  in  1812 4-5 

Battle  of  Queenston  Heights,  13th  October,  1812 5-15 

Scott  attacked  by  the  Indians 15-18 

Captured  Irishmen — Scott's  Interference  in  their  behalf — 

their  joyful  Interview  with  him 18-22 

Capture  of  Fort  George  in  May,  1813 — Events  of  the 

Campaigns  of  that  year 22-34 

Formation  of  the  Camp  of  Instruction  at  Buffalo — Open 
ing  of  the  Campaign  of  1814  '. 34-36 

Passage  of  the  Niagara  36-38 

Battle  of  Chippewa 38-45 

Battle  of  Niagara — Scott  wounded  and  disabled 45-52 

Scott's  journey  from  Niagara   to   Philadelphia — Is   re 
ceived  at  Princeton 52-56 

Public  honors  paid  to  Gen.  Scott 56-63 

Gen.  Scott's  visit  to  Europe 63-64 

Black-hawk  War — Incidents  and  Scenes 64-81 

Gen.  Scott's  agency  in  suppressing  Nullification  in  South 

Carolina 81-95 

Florida  War 95-102 

Scott's  agency  in  quelling  the  Troubles  on  the  Niagara 

Frontier 102-112 

Scott's  labors  in  removing  the  Cherokees 112-122 

Gen.  Scott's  agency  in  settling  the  Maine  Boundary 122-127 

Gen.  Scott  ordered  to  Mexico 128-130 

Leaves  the  Rio  Grande  for  Vera  Cruz — Landing — Attack 

on  the  City  and  Castle 133-143 

March  into  the  Interior 143 

Battle  of  Cerro  Gordo 14 1-156 


ILLUSTRATED  LIFE 


or 


GENERAL  VINEIELD  SCOTT; 

COMMANDER-IN-CHIEF 

OF 

THE     ARMY     IN     MEXICO 


ILLUSTRATED 

BY    D.   H.   STROTHER, 


NEW  YORK: 
PUBLISHED   BY    A.   S.  BARNES  &  CO. 

No.  51    JOHN-STREET. 
1847. 


MAP  OF  THE  NIAGARA  FRONTIER. 


ILLUSTRATED  LIFE 


GENERAL  VINFIELD  SCOTT. 


SCOTT'S  FAEJEKTAG*. — EDOCAXHMI. — IAM. Y  CHA*ACTE*-— -CWHCE 

OF  A  raOFESSHnr. &XTKXSCE  DTTO  TMB  AUTT. 


WCPFIELD  SCOTT  was  born  the  13th  June,  1788,  near  Peters 
burg,  in  Virginia.  His  «VTP"««  nay  be  traced  from  a  Scottish 
gentleman  of  the  Lowlands,  who,  with  bis  elder  brother,  was 
engaged  in  the  Rebenion  of  1745. 

The  particulars  of  his  early  education  are  not  fully  known; 
'.u*.  ;".  -vr-r::"^  ibo".  be  ~*  ^s  i.Zi'.~~.^i  !:T  ".-I^T  af  "^r  !rirr.>-ri  ;r%- 
friaimn  He  pursued  the  usual  preparatory  studies,  and  apeot 
a  year  in  the  high-school  at  Richmond,  under  the  teachings  of 
Ogflvie,  then  quite  a  celebrated  man.  Thence,  he  went  of  Us 
own  accord  to  the  College  of  Wflliam  and  Mary,  where  be 
remained  one  or  two  years,  and  attended  a  course  of  law  lec 
tures.  He  finished  bis  legal  studies  in  the  office  of  David 
Robertson,  a  Scotsman,  who  had  been  sent  out  originally  as  a 
tutor  in  the  family  of  Scott's  maternal  grandfather.  At  this 
time  his  character  is  described,  by  one  who  well  knew  him,  as 
distinctly  formed.  He  was  full  of  hope,  and  inimsh-d  by  a 
just  sense  of  honor,  and  a  generous  ambition  of  honest  tame. 
His  bean  was  open  and  kind  to  aQ  the  worid,  warm  with  affec 
tion  towards  his  friends,  and  with  no  idea  that  he  had,  or  de 
served  to  have,  an  enemy. 

In  the  summer  of  1807,  he  volunteered,  as  member  of  the 
Petersburg  troop  of  horse,  that  bad  been  called  oat  under  the 
proclamation  of  the  president,  forbidding  the  harbors  of  the 
United  States  to  British  TesseJs  of  war.  This  was  in 
quence  of  the  attack  on  the  frigate  Chesapeake. 


El-oj 

•  / 
*+ 1 JJ 


LIFE    OF    GENERAL    SCOTT. 


In  May,  1808,  through  the  influence  of  his  friend  and  neigh 
bor,  the  Hon.  Wm.  B.  Giles,  he  received  from  the  hands  of 
President  Jefferson,  a  commission  of  Captain  of  Light  Artillery 
in  the  army  of  the  United  States. 


Jefferson  presenting  Scott  his  Comiuission. 


SCOTT   GOES    TO    THE    NIAGARA    FRONTIER    IN    1812. 

IN  July,  1812,  Scott  received  the  commission  of  lieutenant- 
colonel  in  the  2d  artillery,  (Izard's  regiment,)  and  arrived  on 
the  Niagara  frontier,  with  the  companies  of  Towson  and  Bar 
ker.  He  took  post  at  Black  Rock,  to  protect  the  navy-yard 
there  established. 


BATTLE    OF    QUEENSTOWW    HEIGHTS.  5 

Lieutenant  Elliot  of  the  navy  had  planned  an  enterprise 
against  two  British  armed  brigs,  then  lying  at  anchor  under 
the  guns  of  Fort  Erie.  For  this  purpose,  he  applied  on  the 
8th  of  October,  1812,  to  Colonel  Scott,  for  assistance  in  officers 
and  men.  Captain  Towson,  and  a  portion  of  his  company, 
were  dispatched  to  the  aid  of  Elliot.  The  attack  was  success 
ful.  On  the  morning  of  the  9th,  both  vessels  were  carried  in 
the  most  gallant  manner.  The  "  Adams"  was  taken  by  Cap 
tain  Elliot  in  person,  assisted  by  Lieutenant  Isaac  Roach  ;  and 
the  "  Caledonia"  by  the  gallant  Captain  Towson.  In  dropping 
down  the  Niagara  River,  the  "  Adams"  became  unmanageable, 
through  the  occurrence  of  a  calm,  and  drifted  into  the  British 
channel.  She  got  aground  on  Squaw  Island,  directly  under 
the  guns  of  the  enemy's  batteries,  where  it  was  impossible  to 
get  her  off.  Captain  Elliot,  therefore,  having  previously  se 
cured  the  prisoners,  abandoned  her  under  a  heavy  fire  from  the 
British  shore.  Then  ensued  an  interesting  and  exciting  scene, 
the  British  endeavoring  to  retake  the  abandoned  brig,  and  Co 
lonel  Scott  to  prevent  them.  The  enemy  sent  off  boats,  and 
Scott  resisted  them,  in  which  effort  he  was  successful.  The 
brig  was  recaptured,  and  held  until  she  was  subsequently 
burned,  by  order  of  General  Smythe,  who  had  then  arrived. 


BATTLE    OF    QUEENSTOWN    HEIGHTS,    13th    OCTOBER,    1812. 

IN  the  beginning  of  October,  1812,  Major-General  Stephen 
Van  Rensselaer  had  collected  together,  at  Lewistown,  about 
two  thousand  five  hundred  of  the  New  York  militia.  The  suc 
cessful  enterprise  which  resulted  in  the  capture  of  the  "  Adams" 
and  "  Caledonia,"  on  the  8th  of  that  month,  had  given  such  an 
apparent  ardor  and  impulse  to  these  troops,  that  it  was  be 
lieved  impossible  to  restrain  them.  Indeed,  the  troops  declared 
they  must  act,  or  go  home,  an  alternative  which  imposed  upon 
the  general  the  necessity  of  some  active  movement.  Accord 
ingly  he  planned  an  attack  on  Queenstown  Heights.  The 


BATTLE    OF    QUEENSTOWN    HEIGHTS.  7 

troops  which  he  had  at  his  command  were  the  New  York 
militia,  and  about  four  hundred  and  fifty  regulars  under  the 
command  of  Colonels  Fenwick  and  Chrystie,  who,  with  Major 
Mullaney,  had  arrived  the  night  before,  in  detachments,  from 
Fort  Niagara,  for  the  purpose  of  joining  in  this  expedition. 

The  object  of  the  movement  was  to  dispossess  the  enemy 
from  the  fort  and  village  of  Queenstown  Heights,  and  thus  to 
make  a  lodgement  for  the  American  troops  on  the  Canada  shore, 
the  invasion  of  Canada  being  then  the  leading  object  of  the 
northern  campaign.  The  plan  was,  to  throw  over  the  river  two 
columns  of  troops,  each  about  three  hundred  strong ;  one  to  be 
commanded  by  Colonel  Solomon  Van  Rensselaer,  and  the  other 
by  Lieutenant-Colonel  Chrystie.  The  detachments  of  Fenwick 
and  Mullaney  were  to  sustain,  in  the  best  way  they  could, 
these  columns.  These  arrangements  were  made  on  the  12th 
of  October.  Late  in  the  evening  of  that  day,  Colonel  Scott 
had  arrived,  by  a  forced  march,  partly  by  water,  and  partly 
through  mud  and  rain,  at  Schlosser,  one  mile  from  the  Falls, 
and  eight  from  Lewistown,  with  the  view  of  joining  in  the 
contemplated  attack.  He  hastened  to  Lewistown,  and  volun 
teered  his  services  to  General  Van  Rensselaer.  They  were 
declined,  on  account  of  the  arrangements  already  made ;  but, 
not  without  permission  that  Scott  should  bring  his  regiment 
immediately  to  Lewistown,  and  there  act  as  circumstances 
might  require,  or  opportunities  offer.  This  permission  he  at 
once  availed  himself  of,  and  arrived  with  his  corps,  at  four 
A.  M.  on  the  13th.  Finding  no  boats,  he  placed  his  train  in 
battery  on  the  American  shore,  under  the  immediate  command 
of  Captains  Towson  and  Barker,  and  when  daylight  appeared, 
opened  an  effective  fire  on  the  enemy. 

In  the  mean  time,  the  principal  movement,  as  originally 
planned,  had  gone  on.  All  the  boats  which  could  be  collected 
were  employed  to  transport  the  columns  of  Chrystie  and  Van 
Rensselaer.  Unfortunately  the  boats  were  insufficient  to  take 
the  whole  number  at  once,  and  the  passage  was  made  by  de 
tachments.  The  boat  in  which  Chrystie  was,  became  partially 
disabled,  was  mismanaged  by  the  pilot,  and  finally  carried 
out  of  the  way  by  the  eddies  of  the  river.  He  made  a  gallant 


8  LIFE    OP    GENERAL    SCOTT. 

attempt  to  land,  but  was  wounded  and  compelled  to  return  to 
the  American  shore.  In  the  after  part  of  the  engagement,  he 
returned  with  reinforcements  to  the  troops  in  Canada,  and 
shared  the  fate  of  the  day. 

The  main  body  of  the  first  embarkation,  under  the  direction 
of  Colonel  Van  Rensselaer,  was  more  successful.  Two  com 
panies  of  the  13th  regiment,  with  other  small  detachments  of 
the  same  regiment,  were  able  to  land,  and  were  successively 
reinforced,  from  time  to  time,  as  the  few  serviceable  boats  to 
be  had  could  transport  them.  They  were  landed  under  a 
severe  fire  of  the  enemy.  At  this  time  the  numbers  of  both 
contending  parties  were  small.  The  British  force  was  com 
posed  of  two  flank  companies  of  the  49th,  and  the  York  militia. 

The  Americans  did  not  number  much  over  one  hundred 
combatants.  Notwithstanding  the  continued  cannonade  from 
the  enemy's  batteries,  this  small  force  formed  on  the  bank, 
and  marched  steadily  forward. 

In  a  few  moments,  the  fire  had  killed  or  wounded  every 
commissioned  officer,  and  among  these,  Colonel  Van  Rensselaer 
himself,  who  received  four  severe  wounds.  Notwithstanding 
this,  he  sustained  himself  long  enough  to  impart  the  local  infor 
mation  he  possessed  to  other  officers,  who  had  in  the  mean 
while  come  up.  In  leaving  the  field,  his  last  command  was, 
that  "  all  such  as  could  move  should  immediately  mount  the 
hill  and  storm  the  batteries."  This  order  was  promptly  obeyed 
by  Captain  (now  General)  Wool,  who  greatly  distinguished 
himself,  with  Captains  Ogilvie,  Malcolm,  and  Armstrong,  and 
Lieutenant  Randolph.  These  brave  officers  stormed  the  heights, 
took  a  battery  composed  of  an  eighteen-pounder  and  two  mor 
tars,  half  way  up  the  acclivity,  and  were  soon  in  possession  of 
the  highest  point,  called  the  "  Mountain."  At  this  point  of 
time  the  enemy  were  beaten,  routed,  and  driven  into  a  strong 
stone  building  near  the  water's  edge.  Here  the  fugitives  were 
rallied  and  succored  by  General  Brock,  the  lieutenant-governor 
of  Upper  Canada,  who  had  returned  from  the  capture  of  Hull 
to  defend  the  Niagara  frontier.  Here  was  his  last  act  of  gal 
lantry.  He  fell,  at  the  head  of  the  troops  he  was  leading  to 
the  charge,  and  with  him,  his  secretary,  Colonel  McDonald. 


BATTLE    OF    QUEENSTOWN    HEIGHTS.  9 

The  British  troops  were  again  dispersed,  and  for  a  time  there 
was  a  pause  in  the  action  of  the  day. 

Exactly  at  this  period,  Lieutenant-Colonel  Scott  arrived  on 
the  heights.  He  had  been  permitted,  as  a  volunteer,  to  cross 
the  river  with  his  adjutant,  Roach,  and  assume  the  command 
of  the  whole  body  engaged.  On  the  Canada  side,  he  unex 
pectedly  found  Brigadier-General  William  Wadsworth  of  the 
New  York  militia,  who  had  crossed  without  orders.  Scott, 
therefore,  proposed  to  limit  his  command  to  the  regulars.  But 
the  generous  and  patriotic  Wadsworth  would  not  consent.  He 
promptly  yielded  the  command  over  all  the  forces  to  Scott. 
"  You,  sir,"  said  he,  "  know  best  professionally  what  ought  to 
be  done.  I  am  here  for  the  honor  of  my  country,  and  that  of 
the  New  York  militia."  Scott,  therefore,  assumed  the  com 
mand,  and,  throughout  the  movements  which  ensued,  General 
Wadsworth  dared  every  danger  in  aiding  the  views  of  the 
commander.  Though  they  had  met  for  the  first  time,  he  had 
become  already  attached  to  the  young  colonel.  He  repeatedly, 
during  the  battle,  interposed  his  own  person  to  shield  Scott 
from  the  Indian  rifles,  which  his  tall  person  attracted. 

Reinforcements  having  arrived  during  the  previous  engage 
ments,  the  forces  under  Scott  now  amounted,  in  all,  to  three 
hundred  and  fifty  regulars,  and  two  hundred  and  fifty  volun 
teers,  under  the  direction  of  General  Wadsworth  and  Colonel 
Stranahan.  These,  Scott,  assisted  by  the  judgment  of  Captain 
Totten,  drew  up  in  a  strong  and  commanding  situation.  The 
object  in  view  was  not  only  to  receive  the  enemy,  but  to  cover 
the  ferry,  in  expectation  of  being  reinforced  by  the  whole  of 
the  militia  at  Lewistown. 

The  interval  of  rest  was  but  short.  The  first  gun  which 
broke  the  silence  of  the  morning,  had  also  roused  the  British 
garrison  of  Fort  George,  eight  miles  below.  Their  troops  were 
instantly  put  in  motion.  The  Indians,  who  had  been  concen 
trated  in  the  neighborhood,  sprang  into  activity.  In  a  short 
time,  five  hundred  of  these  forest  warriors  joined  the  British 
light  companies  previously  engaged.  A  new  battle  ensued. 
The  Americans  received  the  enemy  with  firmness,  and  drove 
them  back  in  total  rout.  Colonel  Chrystie,  who  had  then 


10 


LIFE    OF    GENERAL  'SCOTT 


returned  to  the  Canada  shore,  states,  that  he  there  found  Lieu. 
tenant-Colonel  Scott  leading  and  animating  his  troops,  with  a 
gallantry  which  could  not  be  too  highly  extolled. 

The  protection  of  the  ferry  being  the  main  purpose,  and  the 
Indians  in  the  wood  presenting  no  object  for  a  charge,  the 
Americans  resumed  their  original  position,  and  there  main 
tained  it  valiantly  against  several  successive  attacks,  till  the 
British  reinforcements  arrived  from  Fort  George.  In  one  of 
these  affairs,  the  advanced  pickets  of  the  American  line  were 
suddenly  driven  in  by  superior  numbers,  and  a  general  mas 
sacre  seemed  inevitable.  At  this  critical  moment,  Scott,  who 
had  been  in  the  rear,  showing  how  to  unspike  a  captured  can 
non,  hastily  returned,  and  by  great  exertions  brought  his  line, 


Scott  unspiking  a  captured  Cannon. 

in  the  act  of  giving  way,  to  the  right-about.  His  brilliant 
example  produced  a  sudden  revulsion  of  feeling.  They  caught 
the  spirit  of  their  leader.  With  a  unanimous  burst  of  enthu 
siasm,  the  line  suddenly  rallied  from  right  to  left,  threw  itself 
forward  upon  the  enemy,  putting  him  to  a  precipitate  flight, 
strewing  the  ground  with  the  dead  and  the  wounded.  In 
this  manner  successive  conflicts  were  kept  up,  till  the  main 


A.  SPEECH  ON  THE  FIELD  OF  BATTLE.        11 

body  of  the  British  reinforcements  arrived.  This  was  a  column 
«ight  hundred  and  fifty  strong,  under  the  command  of  Major- 
General  Sheaffe. 

During  the  action,  which  had  now  so  long  proceeded  with 
credit  to  the  American  troops,  the  militia  who  had  crossed  the 
river,  and  were  engaged  with  Wadsworth  and  Stranahan,  had 
fought  well,  and  shared  both  the  dangers  and  the  successes  of 
the  day.  At  this  crisis,  however,  when  the  result  of  the  battle 
depended  entirely  upon  reinforcements,  information  was  brought 
to  Scott  and  those  engaged,  that  the  militia  on  the  American 
shore  refused  to  cross !  General  Van  Rensselaer  rode  among 
them,  in  all  directions,  urging  the  men  by  every  consideration 
to  pass,  but  in  vain.  Not  a  regiment  nor  a  company  could  be 
induced  to  move  !  A  panic  had  seized  them  ;  but  even  had  it 
been  otherwise,  they  could  not  have  crossed,  as  but  a  few 
crippled  boats  remained  to  take  them  over*  Severe  was  the 
mortification  of  this  disaster  to  the  brave  men  engaged,  and 
mournful  the  result ! 

At  this  period,  the  British  force  was  estimated,  regulars, 
militia,  and  Indians,  at  not  less  than  thirteen  hundred,  while 
the  Americans  were  reduced  to  less  than  three  hundred.  Re 
treat  was  as  hopeless  as  succor ;  for  there  were  no  boats  on 
the  Canada  shore,  and  the  militia  on  the  other  side  refused  to 
give  them  aid.  Scott  took  his  position  on  the  ground  they  then 
occupied,  resolved  to  abide  the  shock,  and  think  of  surrender 
only  when  battle  was  impossible.  He  mounted  a  log  in  front 
of  his  much-diminished  band  :  "  The  enemy's  balls,"  said  he> 
"  begin  to  thin  our  ranks.  His  numbers  are  overwhelming. 
In  a  moment  the  shock  must  come,  and  there  is  no  retreat. 
We  are  in  the  beginning  of  a  national  war.  Hull's  surrender 
is  to  be  redeemed.  Let  us  then  die,  arms  in  hand.  Our 
country  demands  the  sacrifice.  The  example  will  not  be 
lost.  The  blood  of  the  slain  will  make  heroes  of  the  living. 
Those  who  follow  will  avenge  our  fall  and  their  country's 
wrongs.  WHO  dare  to  stand  ?"  "  ALL  !"  was  the  answer^ 
ing  cry. 

In  the  mean  while,  the  British,  under  the  command  of  Major- 
General  Sheaffe,  manoeuvred  with  great  caution,  and  even 


FLAG    OF   TRUCE.  13 

hesitation,  conscious  of  the  vigorous  resistance  already  made, 
and  determined  fully  to  reconnoitre.  They  found  it  difficult 
to  believe  that  so  small  a  body  of  men  was  the  whole  force  they 
had  to  contend  with,  and  supposed  it  rather  an  outpost  than  an 
army.  At  length  the  attack  began.  The  Americans  for  a 
time  maintained  their  resolution,  but  finally  began  to  give  way. 
When  nearly  surrounded,  they  let  themselves  (by  holding  on 
to  limbs  and  bushes)  down  the  precipice  to  the  river.  Resist 
ance  was  now  ended,  and  after  a  brief  consultation,  it  was 
determined  to  send  a  flag  to  the  enemy,  with  a  proposition  to 
capitulate.  Several  persons  were  successively  sent,  but  nei 
ther  answer  nor  messenger  returned ;  they  were  all  shot  down, 
or  captured  by  the  Indians.  At  length,  Scott  determined  that 
he  himself  would  make  another  attempt.  He  prepared  a  flag 
of  truce — a  white  handkerchief  fastened  upon  his  sword — and 
accompanied  by  Captains  Totten  and  Gibson,  went  forth,  on  a 
forlorn  hope,  to  seek  a  parley.  Keeping  close  to  the  water's 
edge,  and  under  cover  of  the  precipice  as  much  as  possible, 
they  descended  along  the  river.  They  were  exposed  to  a  con 
tinual  random  fire  from  the  Indians,  until  they  turned  up  an 
easy  slope  to  gain  the  road  from  the  village  to  the  heights. 
They  had  just  attained  this  road,  when  they  were  met  by  two 
Indians,  who  sprang  upon  them.  It  was  in  vain  that  Scott 
declared  his  purpose,  and  claimed  the  protection  of  his  flag. 
They  attempted  to  wrench  it  from  his  hands,  and  at  the  same 
instant  Totten  and  Gibson  drew  their  swords.  The  Indians 
had  just  discharged  their  rifles  at  the  American  officers,  and 
were  on  the  point  of  using  their  knives  and  hatchets,  when  a 
British  officer,  accompanied  by  some  men,  rushed  forward  and 
prevented  a  further  combat. 

The  three  American  officers  were  conducted  into  the  pres 
ence  of  General  Sheaffe ;  terms  of  capitulation  were  agreed 
on,  and  Scott  surrendered  his  whole  force  with  the  honors  of 
war.  To  his  intense  chagrin  and  mortification,  the  number 
of  prisoners  was  soon  swelled  by  several  hundreds  of  mili 
tia,  who  had  crossed  to  the  Canada  shore,  and  in  the  confusion 
of  the  moment,  had  concealed  themselves  under  the  rocks  higher 
up  the  river,  and  were  not  in  the  slightest  degree  engaged  in 


THE    "  TALL   AMERICAN."  15 

the  action  of  the  day.  Throughout  this  scene  of  various  action, 
of  mistake  and  misfortune,  of  success  and  disaster,  Lieutenant- 
Colonel  Scott, — says  an  accurate  account, — was  distinguished 
for  great  exertions.  He  was  in  full-dress  uniform,  and  his 
tall  stature  made  him  a  conspicuous  mark.  He  was  singled 
out  by  the  Indians,  but  remained  unhurt.  He  was  urged  to 
change  his  dress.  "  No,"  said  he,  smiling,  "  I  will  die  in  my 
robes."  At  the  same  moment  Captain  Lawrence  fell  by  his 
side,  as  it  was  supposed,  mortally  wounded. 


SCOTT  ATTACKED  BY  THE  INDIANS. 

AFTER  the  surrender,  the  prisoners  were  escorted  to  the 
village  now  called  Niagara,  at  the  mouth  of  the  river,  where 
the  officers  were  lodged  in  an  inn,  aud  placed  under  guard. 
The  sentinel  had  received  orders  to  suffer  no  prisoner  to  pass 
out,  but  not  otherwise  to  restrain  their  motions.  In  a  little 
while,  a  message  came  that  some  one  wished  to  speak  with  the 
"tall  American."  Scott  passed  through  several  doors  into  the 
entry.  He  was  surprised  to  find  in  his  visiters  the  same  two 
Indians,  hideously  painted  as  in  battle,  who  had  sprung  upon 
him  while  he  was  bearing  the  flag  of  truce.  The  elder,  tall 
and  strong,  was  the  distinguished  chief  known  by  the  name  of 
CAPTAIN  JACOBS.  The  other  was  a  young  man  of  fine  figure, 
and  only  inferior  in  muscular  development.  In  broken  English, 
and  by  gestures,  the  prisoner  was  questioned  as  to  his  shot- 
marks  :  the  Indians  severally  holding  up  their  fingers  to  indi 
cate  the  times  their  rifles  had  been  levelled  at  him.  Jacobs 
grew  warm,  and  seized  Scott  by  the  arm  to  turn  him  round  to 
see  his  back.  Indignant  at  this  manual  liberty,  the  American 
threw  the  savage  from  him,  exclaiming,  "  Off,  villain !  You 
fired  like  a  squaw!"  "We  kill  you  now!"  was  the  angry 
reply,  loosening  from  their  girdles  at  the  same  instant  knives 
and  tomahawks.  There  was  no  call  for  help;  none  could 


16  LIFE    OF    GENERAL    SCOTT 

have  arrived  in  time;  and  flight  would  have  been,  in  the 
opinion  of  such  soldiers  as  Scott,  dastardly.  In  a  corner  of  the 
entry,  under  the  staircase,  stood  the  swords  of  the  American 
officers,  which,  according  to  the  customs  of  war,  they  had  been 
desired  to  lay  aside  on  their  arrival.  A  long  sabre,  in  a  heavy 
steel  scabbard,  as  readily  drawn  as  grasped,  lay  on  the  outside 
of  the  stack.  A  spring  swiftly  to  the  rear,  and  another  back 
upon  the  foe,  brought  the  American,  with  blade  hung  in  air, 
to  an  attitude  of  defiance.  A  second  lost — a  quiver — or  an 
error  of  the  eye,  would  have  ended  this  story,  and  left  no  fur 
ther  room  to  the  biographer  of  the  "tall  American."  Of  one 
ef  his  assailants  Scott  was  absolutely  sure ;  but  that  he  would 
fall  by  the  hands  of  the  other  before  the  sword  could  be  again 
poised,  seemed  equally  certain.  He  had  the  advantage  of 
position — standing  on  the  defensive,  in  a  narrow  entry,  just 
within  the  foot  of  the  staircase.  It  was  a  pass  that  could  not 
be  turned.  The  savages  were  held  without,  in  the  wider 
space,  near  the  front  door,  but  manoeuvring  like  tigers  to  close 
upon  their  prey.  The  parties  were  thus  terribly  grouped, 
when  a  British  officer,  entering  from  the  street,  and  seeing 
what  impended,  cried,  "  The  guard!"  and  at  the  same  moment 
seized  Jacobs  by  the  arm,  and  put  a  pistol  to  the  head  of  his 
companion.  Scott  held  his  blade  ready  to  descend  in  aid  of 
his  gallant  deliverer,  now  turned  upon  by  his  foes.  The 
sentinels  obeyed  the  call  they  had  heard,  and  came  in,  with 
bayonets  forward.  The  Indians  were  marched  off,  muttering 
imprecations  on  all  white  men,  and  all  the  laws  of  war.  The 
younger  of  these  Indian  chiefs  was  the  son  of  the  celebrated 
Brant,  of  the  Revolutionary  war,  whose  life  has  recently  been 
given  to  the  public  by  the  late  Col.  Wm.  L.  Stone.  The 
officer  who  so  opportunely  entered,  on  a  visit  of  courtesy,  was 
Captain  Coffin,  then  in  the  staff  of  General  SheafFe,  and  now 
of  high  rank  in  the  British  army.  This  adventure  he  frequent 
ly  narrated,  both  in  New  York  and  on  the  other  side  of  the 
Atlantic. 

The  exasperation  of  the  Indians  against  Colonel  Scott  was 
occasioned  by  the  number  of  their  people  killed  on  Queenstown 
Heights  ;  and  their  excitement  was  so  great,  that  while  he  re- 


18  LIFE  OF  GENERAL  SCOTT. 

mained  at  Niagara  he  could  not  leave  his  inn,  even  to  dine 
with  Sir  Roger  Sheaffe,  without  a  British  escort. 


CAPTURED  IRISHMEN. SCOTl's  INTERFERENCE  IN  THEIR  BEHALF. 

THEIR  JOYFUL  INTERVIEW  WITH  HIM. 

THE  battle  of  Queenstown  closed  with  the  surrender  of  Scott 
and  his  small  force  to  the  greatly  superior  numbers  under  the 
command  of  General  Sheaffe.  These  prisoners  were  sent  to 
Quebec,  thence  in  a  cartel  to  Boston,  and  soon  after  Scott  was 
exchanged.  When  the  prisoners  were  about  to  sail  from 
Quebec,  Scott,  being  in  the  cabin  of  the  transport,  heard  a 
bustle  upon  deck,  and  hastened  up.  There  he  found  a  party 
of  British  officers  in  the  act  of  mustering  the  prisoners,  and 
separating  from  the  rest  such  as,  by  confession  or  the  accent 
of  the  voice,  were  judged  to  be  Irishmen.  The  object  was  to 
send  them,  in  a  frigate  then  alongside,  to  England,  to  be  tried 
and  executed  for  the  crime  of  high  treason,  they  being  taken 
in  arms  against  their  native  allegiance !  Twenty-three  had 
been  thus  set  apart  when  Scott  reached  the  deck,  and  there 
were  at  least  forty  more  of  the  same  birth  in  the  detachment. 
They  were  all  in  deep  affliction,  at  what  they  regarded  as  the 
certain  prospect  of  a  shameful  death.  Many  were  adopted 
citizens  of  the  United  States,  and  several  had  left  families  in 
the  land  of  their  adoption.  The  moment  Scott  ascertained  the 
object  of  the  British  officers,  acting  under  the  express  orders 
of  the  governor-general,  Sir  George  Provost,  he  commanded 
his  men  to  answer  no  more  questions,  in  order  that  no  other  se 
lection  should  be  made  by  the  test  of  speech.  He  commanded 
them  to  remain  absolutely  silent,  and  they  strictly  obeyed. 
This  was  done,  in  spite  of  the  threats  of  the  British  officers, 
and  not  another  man  was  separated  from  his  companions. 
Scott  was  repeatedly  commanded  to  go  below,  and  high  alter 
cations  ensued.  He  addressed  the  party  selected,  and  explain- 


20  LIFE  OF  GENERAL  SCOTT. 

ed  to  them  fully  the  reciprocal  obligations  of  allegiance  and 
protection,  assuring  them,  that  the  United  States  would  not 
fail  to  avenge  their  gallant  and  faithful  soldiers ;  and  finally 
pledged  himself,  in  the  most  solemn  manner,  that  retaliation, 
and,  if  necessary,  a  refusal  to  give  quarter  in  battle,  sJiould 
follow  the  execution  of  any  one  of  the  party.  In  the  midst 
of  this  animated  harangue  he  was  frequently  interrupted  by 
the  British  officers,  but,  though  unarmed,  could  not  be  si 
lenced. 

The  Irishmen  were  put  in  irons  on  board  the  frigate,  and 
sent  to  England.  When  Scott  landed  in  Boston,  he  proceeded 
to  Washington,  and  was  duly  exchanged.  He  immediately 
related  to  the  president  the  scene  which  had  occurred  at 
Quebec,  and  was  by  him  instructed  to  make  a  full  report  of 
the  whole  transaction,  in  writing,  to  the  secretary  of  war.  This 
was  done  on  the  13th  January,  1813. 

As  this  letter  is  an  important  and  authentic  portion  of  the 
history  of  the  discussion  which  subsequently  ensued,  in  regard 
to  the  rights  of  naturalized  citizens  under  the  code  of  inter- 
national  law,  we  insert  it  in  this  place. 

Lieutencml-Colvnel  Scott  to  the  Secretary  of  War. 
SIR— 

I  think  it  rny  duty  to  lay  before  the  department  that. 
on  the  arrival  at  Quebec  of  the  American  prisoners  of  wai 
surrendered  at  Queenstown,  they  were  mustered  and  examined 
by  British  officers  appointed  to  that  duty,  and  every  native-born 
of  the  United  Kingdoms  of  Great  Britain  and  Ireland  sequester. 
ed.  and  sent  on 'board  a  ship  of  war  then  in  the  harbor.  The 
vessel  in  a  few  days  thereafter  sailed  for  Brig-land,  with  these 

O  ' 

persons  on  board.  Between  fifteen  and  twenty  persons  were 
thus  taken  from  us,  natives  of  Ireland,  several  of  whom  were 
known  by  their  platoon  officers  to  be  naturalized  citizens  of  the 
United  States,  and  others  to  have  been  long  residents  within  the 
same.  One  in  particular,  whose  name  has  escaped  me,  besides 
having  complied  with  all  the  conditions  of  our  naturalization 
laws,  was  represented  by  his  officers  to  have  left  a  wife  and 
five  children,  all  of  them  born  within  the  state  of  New  York. 


INTERESTING    INCIDENTS.  21 

I  distinctly  understood,  as  well  from  the  officers  who  came 
on  board  the  prison-ship  for  the  above  purposes,  as  from  others 
with  whom  I  remonstrated  on  this  subject,  that  it  was  the  de 
termination  of  the  British  government,  as  expressed  through 
Sir  George  Provost,  to  punish  every  man  whom  it  might  sub 
ject  to  its  power,  found  in  arms  against  the  British  king  con 
trary  to  his  native  allegiance. 

I  have  the  honor  to  be,  sir, 

Your  most  obedient  servant, 

W.  SCOTT, 
Lieut.-Col.  U.  S.  2d  artillery. 

At  the  instance  of  Scott,  this  Report  was,  the  same  day,  sent 
to  both  houses  of  Congress.  It  was  also  by  him  pressed  on  the 
attention  of  many  members  in  each  house.  The  result  was 
the  early  passage  of  the  "  Act  vesting  the  President  of  the 
United  States  with  the  power  of  retaliation  ;"  ordered  to  a 
third  reading,  Feb.  27th,  and  passed  March  3d,  1813. 

Two  months  after  this,  (May  27th,  1813,).  in  the  battle  and 
capture  of  Fort  George,  Scott  took  a  great  number  of  prisoners. 
True  to  his  pledge  given  at  Quebec,  he,  as  adjutant-general, 
(chief  of  the  staff,)  immediately  selected  twenty-three  of  the 
number  to  be  confined  in  the  interior  of  the  United  States,  there 
to  abide  the  fate  of  the  twenty-three  imprisoned  and  sent  to 
England  by  the  British  officers.  In  making  the  selection,  he 
was  careful  not  to  include  a  single  Irishman,  in  order  that 
Irishmen  might  not  be  sacrificed  for  Irishmen.  This  step  led, 
on  both  sides,  to  the  confinement  as  hostages,  of  many  other 
men  and  officers,  all  of  whom  were,  of  course,  dependent  for 
their  lives  on  the  fate  of  the  original  twenty-three. 

In  July,  1815,  when  peace  had  been  some  months  concluded, 
and  Scott  (then  a  major-general)  was  passing  along  on  the 
East  River  side  of  the  city  of  New  York,  he  was  attracted  by 
loud  cheers  and  bustle  on  one  of  the  piers.  He  approached 
the  scene,  and  great  was  his  delight  to  find,  that  it  was  the 
cheers  of  his  old  Irish  friends,  in  whose  behalf  he  had  inter 
fered  at  Quebec,  and  who  had,  that  moment,  landed  in  triumph, 
after  a  confinement  of  more  than  two  years  in  English  prisons  ! 


22  LIFE    OF    GENERAL    SCOTT. 

He  was  quickly  recognised  by  them,  hailed  as  their  deliverer, 
and  nearly  crushed  by  their  warm-hearted  embraces  !  Twenty  - 
one  were  present,  two  having  died  natural  deaths. 

Scott  had  not  then  recovered  from  the  wounds  he  had  re 
ceived  in  the  bloody  battle  of  the  Niagara,  and  was  about  to 
embark  on  a  voyage  to  Europe.  Yet,  in  conformity  with  the 
promises  of  friendship  he  had  made  these  men,  he  found  time 
to  write  to  the  departments  at  Washington,  and  solicit  for  them 
their  patents  for  land  bounties,  and  their  long  arrearages  of 
pay.  He  was  successful,  and  they  were  at  length  restored 
both  to  their  adopted  country  and  their  promised  rewards. 
Several  of  these  brave  sons  of  Ireland  are  yet  alive,  and  can 
testify  to  the  truth  of  this  narrative.  They,  in  common  with 
hundreds  of  their  countrymen  taken  prisoners  in  the  same  war, 
fighting  the  battles  of  liberty,  have  good  reason  to  believe  that 
they  owe  their  liberties,  if  not  their  lives,  to  the  solicitations, 
spirit,  and  zeal,  of  Winfield  Scott ! 


CAPTURE  OF  FORT  GEORGE  IN  MAY,   1813, AND  EVENTS  OF    THK 

CAMPAIGNS  OF  THAT  YEAR. 

IN  May,  1813,  Colonel  Scott  joined  the  army,  at  Fort 
Niagara,  under  the  command  of  Major-General  Dearborn,  in 
the  capacity  of  Adjutant-General,  or  Chief  of  the  Staff. 

On  the  British  side  of  the  Niagara  was  a  peninsula,  of 
which  Fort  George  was  the  defence.  This  position  General 
Dearborn  determined  to  carry.  He  was  then  at  the  head  of 
four  or  five  thousand  men,  and  was  co-operated  with  by  Com 
modore  Chauncey  and  his  naval  force.  Arrangements  were 
made  for  an  attack  on  the  morning  of  the  27th  of  May.  At 
3  A.  M.  the  fleet  weighed  anchor,  and  before  four,  the  troops 
were  all  on  board  the  boats.  The  embarkation  was  made 
three  miles  east  of  our  Fort  Niagara.  It  was  made  in  six  di 
visions  of  boats.  In  the  first  was  Colonel  Scott,  who  led  the 
advanced  guard,  or  forlorn  hope,  a  service  to  which  he  had 


24  LIFE    OF    GENERAL   SCOTT. 

specially  volunteered.  In  the  second  was  Colonel  Moses 
Porter,  with  the  field  train.  Then  followed  the  brigades  of 
Generals  Boyd,  Winder,  Chandler,  and  a  reserve  under  Col. 
A.  Macomb. 

In  the  mean  time,  Commodore  Chauncey  had  directed  his 
schooners  to  anchor  close  in  shore,  so  near  as  to  cover  the 
landing  of  the  troops,  and  sweep  by  their  fire  the  woods  and 
plain  wherever  the  enemy  might  make  his  appearance. 
Captain  Perry,  a  friend  of  Scott's,  had  joined  Commodore 
Chauncey,  from  Erie,  on  the  evening  of  the  25th,  and  gaU 
lantly  volunteered  his  services  in  superintending  the  debarka 
tion  of  the  troops.  It  was  an  operation  of  nicety,  in  conse 
quence  of  the  wind,  the  current,  a  hea*vy  surf,  and  the  early 
commenced  fire  of  the  enemy.  He  was  present  wherever  he 
could  be  useful,  under  showers  of  musketry.  He  accompanied 
the  advanced  guard  through  the  surf,  and  rendered  special 
services,  of  which  General  Scott  has  since  spoken  in  the 
highest  terms  of  commendation.  It  was  the  budding  forth  of 
that  professional  skill,  and  that  brave  and  generous  conduct, 
which  soon  bloomed  out  in  the  glory  which  now  surrounds  the 
name  of  the  hero  of  Lake  Erie. 

Colonel  Scott  effected  his  landing,  on  the  British  shore  of 
Lake  Ontario,  at  nine  o'clock  in  the  morning,  in  good  order, 
at  half  a  mile  from  the  village  of  Newark,  now  Niagara,  and 
the  same  distance  west  of  the  mouth  of  the  river,  He  formed 
his  line  on  the  beach,  covered  by  an  irregular  bank,  which 
served  as  a  partial  shield  against  the  enemy's  fire.  This 
bank,  which  was  from  seven  to  twelve  feet  in  height,  he  had 
to  scale  against  the  bayonets  of  the  foe,  who  had  drawn  up 
his  force,  some  fifteen  hundred  men,  immediately  on  its  brow. 
In  the  first  attempt  to  ascend,  the  enemy  pushed  back  the  as 
sailants.  General  Dearborn,  who  was  still  in  the  commo 
dore's  ship,  seeing  with  his  glass  Scott  fall  backward  upon  the 
beach,  burst  into  tears,  exclaiming,  "He  is  lost !  He  is 
killed  !'•  Scott's  fall  was,  however,  momentary.  Recovering 
himself,  and  rallying  his  men,  he  reascended  the  bank,  knock 
ing  up  the  enemy's  bayonets,  and  took  a  position  at  the  edge 
of  a  ravine,  a  little  way  in  advance.  A  sharp  action  of  abou 


26  LIFE    OF    GENERAL    SCOTT. 

twenty  minutes  in  length  ensued.  It  was  short  and  desperate, 
ending  in  the  total  rout  of  the  enemy  at  every  point. 

Meanwhile,  Porter  with  his  artillery,  and  Boyd  with  a  part 
of  his  brigade,  had  landed  in  the  rear  of  the  advance  guard, 
and  slightly  participated  in  the  close  of  the  action.  Scott 
pursued  the  rout  as  far  as  the  village,  where  he  was  joined 
by  the  6th  regiment  of  infantry,  under  the  command  of  Colonel 
James  Miller. 

As  the  column  was  passing  Fort  George,  in  pursuit,  Scott 
learned  from  some  prisoners  caught  running  out,  that  the 
garrison  were  about  to  abandon  and  blow  up  the  place.  Two 
companies  were  instantly  dispatched  from  the  head  of  his 
column  to  save  the  work,  its  guns,  and  stores.  At  the  dis 
tance  of  some  eighty  paces  from  the  fort,  one  of  its  magazines 
exploded.  Scott  was  struck  by  a  piece  of  timber,  thrown 
from  his  horse,  and  much  hurt.  He  nevertheless  caused  the 
gate  to  be  forced,  and  was  the  first  to  enter.  With  his  own 
hand  he  took  down  the  British  flag,  then  waving  over  the 
works.  Being  reminded  by  his  prisoners  of  the  danger  he  in 
curred  from  explosion,  he  directed  Captains  Hindman  and 
Stockton  to  snatch  away  the  matches,  which  had  been  applied 
by  the  retreating  garrison  to  two  other  small  magazines.  The 
fort  had  been  rendered  untenable  by  the  American  batteries 
on  the  opposite  shore,  and  its  capture  was  but  the  work  of  a 
few  minutes.  This  accomplished,  Scott  remounted,  and  was 
soon  at  the  head  of  his  column,  in  hot  pursuit.  This  pursuit 
was  continued  for  five  miles,  until,  at  length,  he  was  recalled 
by  General  Boyd  in  person.  He  had  already  disregarded  two 
successive  orders  to  the  same  effect,  sent  by  General  Lewis, 
saying  to  the  aids-de-camp  who  came  to  him,  (one  of  them 
Lieutenant,  now  General,  Worth,  and  the  other  Major  Vande- 
renter,)  "  Your  General  does  not  know  that  I  have  the  enemy 
within  my  power;  in  seventy  minutes,  I  shall  capture  his 
whole  force." 

In  point  of  fact,  Scott  was  already  in  the  midst  of  the 
British  stragglers,  with  their  main  body  full  in  sight.  He 
would  not  have  been  overtaken  by  Boyd,  but  that  he  had 
waited  fifteen  minutes  for  Colonel  Burn,  his  senior  office,  who 


28  LIFE  OF  GENERAL  SCOTT. 

had  consented  to  serve  under  him.  This  last  colonel  had 
just  crossed  the  river  from  the  Five-Mile  Meadow,  in  the  rear 
of  the  main  body  of  the  enemy,  with  one  troop  of  horse,  and 
was  then  waiting  the  landing  of  another  now  more  than  half 
wa»y  over.  This  force  constituted  the  precise  additional  force 
which  was  wanted  by  Scott  to  make  good  the  assurances  he 


Porter  complaining  of  Scott's  long  f/e?s. 


had  sent  to  General  Lewis.  With  the  recall  of  Scott  from 
the  pursuit  of  the  enemy  ended  the  battle  and  capture  of  Fort 
George.  The  American  loss  was  less  than  that  of  the  enemy, 
and  one  of  the  objects  set  forth  in  the  plan  of  the  campaign 
was  decidedly  accomplished. 

This  engagement  was  not  without  some   incidents,  which 
may  serve  to  illustrate  both  the  character  of  Scott,  and  the 


STRIKING  INCIDENTS.  29 

gallantry  of  the  American  army.  Scott,  as  we  have  narrated, 
had  turned  from  the  head  of  his  column  to  enter  Fort  George, 
and  seize  the  British  flag.  Just  behind  him  was  Colonel  Moses 
Porter,  of  the  artillery.  On  entering  the  fort,  and  finding 
Scott  there,  Porter  exclaimed  "  Confound  your  long  legs,  Scott, 
you  have  got  in  before  me." 

After  the  capture  of  Scott,  the  year  before,  at  Queenstown, 
he  was  supping  with  General  Sheaffe,  and  a  number  of  British 
officers,  when  one  of  them,  a  colonel,  asked  him  if  he  had 
ever  seen  the  neighboring  Falls.  Scott  replied,  "  Yes,  from 
the  American  side."  To  this  the  other  sarcastically  replied, 
"  You  must  have  the  glory  of  a  successful  fight  before  you 
can  view  the  cataract  in  all  its  grandeur,"  meaning  from  the 
Canada  shore.  Scott  rejoined,  "  If  it  be  your  intention  to  in 
sult  me,  sir,  honor  should  have  prompted  you  first  to  return 
me  my  sword  !"  General  Sheaffe  promptly  rebuked  the  British 
colonel,  and  the  matter  was  dropped. 

At  the  battle  of  Fort  George,  among  the  earliest  prisoners 
taken  by  the  Americans  was  the  same  British  colonel,  badly 
wounded.  Scott  politely  borrowed  the  prisoner's  horse,  not 
boing  able  to  bring  his  own  in  the  boats,  and  gave  orders  that 
the  prisoner  should  be  treated  with  all  possible  attention  and 
kindness.  That  evening,  after  the  pursuit,  and  as  often  as 
subsequent  events  permitted,  Scott  called  on  the  British  colonel. 
He  returned  him  the  horse,  and  carefully  provided  for  all  his 
wants.  Indeed,  he  obtained  permission  for  him  to  return  to 
England  on  his  parole,  at  a  time  when  the  belligerents  had 
begun  to  refuse  such  favors,  as  well  as  all  exchanges.  At  the 
first  of  these  visits  the  prisoner  delicately  remarked,  "  I  have 
long  owed  you  an  apology,  sir.  You  have  overwhelmed  me 
with  kindnesses.  You  can  now,  at  your  leisure,  view  the  Falls 
in  all  their  glory." 

It  is  such  acts  of  magnanimity  as  these  which  reflect  honor 
on  human  nature.  Were  they  more  frequent,  the  rough  brow 
of  war  would  be  smoothed  to  smiles,  and  the  field  of  battle  be 
as  remarkable  for  the  beautiful  in  character  as  for  the  glorious 
in  action. 

Colonel  Scott  and  Lieutenant-Colonel  Harvey  were,  in  the 


30  L.IFE    OF    GENERAL    SCOT1. 

campaign  of  1813,  the  adjutant-generals  of  the  opposing  armies 
in  Upper  Canada.  Both  being  always  in  front,  they  very 
generally  found  themselves  pitted  against  each  other  in  the 
battle-field.  Their  staff  positions  also  made  them  the  organs 
of  their  respective  armies,  by  letters  and  by  personal  inter 
views,  under  flags  of  truce.  In  that  official  intercourse  they 
cordially  united  to  soften  down  the  asperities  of  war — to  pro 
vide  for  the  general  wants  of  prisoners,  to  appoint  exchanges 
and  to  obtain  paroles,  and  to  the  devising  of  means  for  enforcing 
the  laws  of  civilized  war  on  the  Indian  allies  of  the  two  armies. 
It  was  also  through  them  that  letters  and  money  passed  from 
one  army  into  the  hands  of  the  prisoners  of  the  other.  Thus 
it  happened  that  sentiments  of  high  respect  between  the  parties 
were  soon  ripened  into  personal  friendship,  leading  (for  both 
were  remarkable  in  stature)  to  mutual  recognition  and  salutes, 
when  advancing  to  close  combat.  If  their  chivalry  went  not 
as  far  as  that  of  the  French  officer  at  the  battle  of  Fontenoi, 
who,  standing  in  front  of  his  troops,  exclaimed,  "  Gentlemen 
of  the  English  guards,  give  us  your  fire  !"  yet  there  was  not 
wanting  a  touch  of  the  romantic  in  their  meetings. 

Once,  when  reconnoitring  and  skirmishing,  Scott  contrived, 
as  he  thought,  to  cut  off  his  daring  opponent  from  the  possibility 
of  retreat.  In  an  instant,  an  American  rifle  was  levelled  up- 
on  him.  Scott  struck  up  the  deadly  weapon,  crying — "  Hold  ! 
he  is  our  prisoner."  But  Harvey,  by  a  sudden  turn  and 
desperate  leap  of  his  horse,  broke  through  the  skirmishers,  and 
escaped  under  a  shower  of  balls,  to  reappear  in  the  following 
campaign,  a  formidable  opponent  of  his  enemy  and  friend  in 
the  fields  of  Chippewa  and  Niagara. 

In  July  of  the  same  year,  Col.  Scott  was  promoted  to  the 
command  of  a  double  regiment,  (20  companies,)  at  which 
time  he  resigned  the  office  of  Adjutant-General,  as  it  no  longer 
conferred  additional  rank.  In  September  an  expedition  was 
proposed  against  Burlington  Heights,  at  the  head  of  Lake 
Ontario,  reported  to  be  the  depot  of  a  large  quantity  of  pro 
visions  and  other  British  stores.  In  this  expedition  he  volun 
teered  to  command  the  land  troops,  and  was  taken  on  board  the 
fleet  by  Commodore  Chauncey.  Burlington  Heights  were 


32  LIFE    OF    GENERAL    SCOTT. 

visited,  but  neither  enemy  nor  stores  were  found  there.  On 
the  return,  it  was  determined  to  make  a  descent  upon  York, 
(now  Toronto.)  Accordingly,  a  landing  of  the  soldiers  and 
marines  was  effected,  under  the  command  of  Colonel  Scott. 
The  barracks  and  public  storehouses  were  burnt.  Large  de 
pots  of  provisions  and  clothing  were  taken,  together  with  eleven 
armed  boats,  arid  a  considerable  quantity  of  ammunition,  and 
several  pieces  of  cannon. 

At  the  close  of  this  summer  a  campaign  was  devised,  having 
for  its  object  the  capture  of  Kingston  and  of  Montreal.  Scott 
joined  the  army  at  Ogdensburgh,  on  the  6th  of  November. 
Wilkinson  was  then  just  about  to  pass  the  heavy  fort  (Welling 
ton)  opposite,  the  fire  of  which  Scott  had  the  honor  to  receive  in 
the  leading  and  largest  boat  of  the  American  flotilla. 

The  passage  of  this  fort  was  one  of  the  striking  incidents  of 
the  late  war.  It  was  a  clear  November  night,  and  at  the 
season  of  the  Indian  summer.  No  breeze  ruffled  the  surface 
of  the  broad  St.  Lawrence,  and  when  at  the  hour  of  eleven  the 
moon  rose  above  the  horizon,  the  scene  appeared  more  appro 
priate  for  the  converse  of  angel  spirits  than  for  the  clang  of 
arms  and  the  horrors  of  war. 

At  about  that  hour,  the  American  army,  numbering  seven 
thousand  men,  with  muffled  oars,  was  slowly  descending  the 
river,  when  a  gun  from  Fort  Wellington  announced  that  their 
purpose  was  known  to  the  enemy.  The  whole  fort  was  imme 
diately  lit  up  by  the  blaze  of  artillery,  and  the  huge  mortars 
vomited  forth  their  volumes  of  fire.  The  balls  from  the  heavy 
cannon  passed  through  the  air  with  impetuous  fury,  and 
screamed,  as  if  impatient  to  accomplish  their  work  of  deatli — 
while  the  shells  from  the  mortars  described  graceful  curves, 
which  were  easily  traced  in  the  air  by  their  burning  fuzes. 
The  whole  army,  however,  passed  the  fort  without  serious  loss. 

The  following  day  Scott  was  appointed  to  the  command  of  a 
tine  battalion,  in  the  corps  d'elite.,  under  Colonel  Macomb.  In 
the  descent  of  the  St.  Lawrence,  he  commanded  the  advance- 
guard  of  the  army ;  hence  he  was  not  present  at  the  action 
of  the  llth  of  November,  at  Chrysler's  Farm,  fifteen  miles  in 
the  rear. 


34  LIFE    OF    GENERAL    SCOTT. 

At  the  moment  of  that  battle,  Scott,  with  seven  hundred 
men,  was  engaged  with  Colonel  Dennis  and  an  equal  force, 
in  passing  Hoophole  Creek,  just  above  Cornwall.  He  ef 
fected  the  passage  under  the  fire  of  the  British  force,  routed 
them,  captured  many  prisoners,  and  pursued  the  fugitives  till 
night. 

Being  always  in  advance,  he  had  the  day  before  landed  near 
Fort  Matilda,  which  commanded  the  narrowest  point  on  the 
whole  length  of  the  St.  Lawrence.  There  he  had  a  sharp  en 
counter  with  the  enemy,  took  an  officer  and  some  men  prison 
ers,  and  gained  possession  of  the  fort. 

At  commencing  the  descent  of  the  St.  Lawrence,  Wilkin 
son  had  proclaimed  that  he  came  to  "  conquer,"  but  the 
indecisive  action  of  "  Chrysler's  Farm,"  in  which  a  portion 
only  of  the  army  was  engaged,  was  the  only  event  connected 
with  the  general  movement  of  the  expedition  which  looked 
like  a  resolute  determination,  or  a  positive  energy,  toward* 
decisive  action.  Even  in  that  action  the  troops  were  limited, 
by  the  orders  of  the  commander-in-chief,  to  defensive  opera 
tions.  It  was,  therefore,  attended  with  no  important  results. 


FORMATION  OF   THE    CAMP  OF  INSTRUCTION    AT    BUFFALO. OPEN 
ING  OF  THE  CAMPAIGN  OF  1814. 

,  THE  campaign  of  1813  closed  in  disaster  and  disgrace. 
The  hopes  of  the  nation,  which  had  been  excited  by  the  bril- 
liant  achievements  with  which  it  opened,  sank  to  despair,  when 
the  army,  after  sustaining  a  partial  defeat,  made  an  abrupt 
and  hasty  retreat.  The  military  spirit  of  the  army  was  lost. 
New  levies  of  troops  were  to  be  made,  and  the  spirit  of  daring, 
of  confidence,  and  energy,  was  to  be  created  before  they  could 
take  the  field. 

To  accomplish  these  objects,  Colonel  Scott  passed  a  part  of 
the  winter,  subsequent  to  the  events  on  the  St.  Lawrence,  at 


CAMP  OF  INSTRUCTION  AT  BUFFALO. 


35 


Albany.  There  he  was  engaged  in  preparing  the  materiel  for 
the  next  campaign,  and,  by  instructions  from  the  president,  in 
arranging  high  politico-military  questions,  with  the  patriotic 
Governor  Tompkins. 

On  the  9th  of  March,  1814,  Colonel  Scott  was  promoted  to 
the  rank  of  Brigadier-General,  and  immediately  joined  Major- 
General  Brown,  then  marching  with  the  army  from  the  French 
Mills  towards  the  Niagara  frontier. 

On  the  24th  inst.,  General  Brown  set  out  for  Sacketts  Harbor, 
expressly  for  the  purpose,  as  he  said,  of  leaving  it  to  Scott  to 
establish  a  camp  of  instruction,  and  to  prepare  the  troops,  as 
they  arrived,  for  opening  the  campaign. 


Scott  instructing  the  Officers. 


These  troops  were  placed  in  the  camp  of  instruction  at  Buf 
falo,  where  for  more  than  three  months  they  were  drilled  in 
all  the  evolutions  and  tactics  necessary  to  give  them  the  most 
accurate  and  thorough  discipline.  The  modern  French  system 
was  adopted.  All  the  officers,  without  regard  to  rank,  were 


36  LIFE    OF    GENERAL    SCOTT. 

first  rigorously  drilled  by  the  commanding  general,  in  small 
squads.  These  officers  then  instructed  the  rank  and  file  in 
squads,  under  his  eye.  Companies  were  next  formed,  and 
subjected  to  the  same  process ;  then  battalions ;  and,  finally, 
these  again  were  instructed  by  General  Scott  in  person. 
When  these  details  were  all  learned,  the  troops  were  carried 
by  him  through  the  evolutions  of  the  line,  (the  movement  of 
armies,)  with  the  same  strict  attention  to  science  and  the  wants 
of  the  field. 

In  the  camp  of  instruction  at  Buffalo  the  army,  from  con 
stant  drill,  acquired  its  organization,  exact  discipline,  and 
habits  of  hardihood,  and  of  cheerful  obedience.  Officers  and 
men  were  taught  the  proper  distribution  of  duties  between 
each  other,  between  the  different  corps,  and  the  different  ser 
vices.  From  the  formation  of  a  column  of  attack  to  the  pre 
sentation  of  a  salute,  and  from  the  movement  in  echelon  to  the 
exchange  of  the  minutest  courtesies,  they  learned  alike  the 
substance  and  the  form  of  those  duties  of  the  camp  and  the 
field,  which  are  developed  in  the  array  and  the  action  of  war. 


PASSAGE  OF  THE  NIAGARA. 1814. 

EARLY  in  the  morning  of  the  3d  of  July,  Scott's  brigade, 
with  the  artillery  corps  of  Major  Hindman,  crossed  the  river, 
and  landed  below  Fort  Erie,  while  Ripley's  brigade  landed 
above.  Scott  led  the  van,  crossing  in  a  boat  with  Colonel 
Camp,  who  had  volunteered  his  services,  and  was  on  shore  be- 
fore  the  enemy's  picket  fired  a  gun.  Fort  Erie  soon  sur- 
rendered,  and  preparations  were  immediately  made  to  advance, 
and  attack  the  army  of  General  Riall  at  Chippewa. 

On  the  morning  of  the  4th,  Scott's  brigade,  several  hours 
in  advance,  moved  towards  Chippewa.  For  sixteen  miles  he 
had  a  running  fight  with  the  Marquis  of  Tweedale,  who  com 
manded  the  British  100th  regiment,  till  at  dusk  the  latter  was 
driven  across  Chippewa  River,  and  joined  the  main  body  of 


38  LIFE    OF    GENERAL    SCOTT. 

the  British  army  under  General  Riall.  The  Marquis  has 
since  said,  that  he  could  not  account  for  the  ardor  of  the  pur- 
suit  until  he  recollected  the  fact  that  it  was  the  American 
great  anniversary. 

That  night,  Scott  took  up  a  position  above  Street's  Creek, 
two  miles  from  the  British  camp  below  Chippewa.  The  in- 
terval  between  these  creeks  was  a  plain,  on  which  was  fought 
the  battle  of  Chippewa. 


BATTLE    OF    CHIPPEWA. 

THE  positions  of  Riall  and  of  Scott  on  the  morning  of  -the 
5th  may  be  easily  understood.  On  the  east  side  was  the 
Niagara  River,  and  near  it  the  road  to  Chippewa.  On  the 
west  was  a  heavy  wood.  Between  these,  running  from  the 
wood  to  the  river,  were  two  streams,  the  principal  of  which 
was  the  Chippewa.  The  other  was  the  small  creek  above, 
called  Street's.  Behind,  and  below  the  Chippewa,  lay  the 
army  of  General  Riall,  with  a  heavy  battery  on  one  side  and 
a  blockhouse  on  the  other.  Scott's  brigade  had  rested  for  the 
night  on  and  above  Street's  Creek.  Over  these  streams  the 
road  to  Chippewa  passed  on  bridges,  the  one  over  Street's  near 
the  Americans,  and  the  other  over  the  Chippewa  near  the 
British.  This  was  the  position  of  the  respective  parties  on 
the  morning  of  the  5th,  when  General  Brown  was  expecting 
to  attack  the  British,  and  they  in  turn  determined  to  anticipate 
it,  by  a  sortie  from  the  lines  of  Chippewa.  It  was  a  long  day 
in  summer  ;  the  earth  was  dry  and  dusty,  and  the  sun  bright 
and  hot,  when  the  best  troops  of  Britain  and  America  met,  as 
in  tournaments  of  old,  to  test  their  skill,  their  firmness,  and 
•heir  courage,  on  the  banks  of  the  Niagara. 

The  day  began  with  the  skirmishes  of  light  troops.  The 
British  militia  and  Indians  occupied  the  wood  on  the  American 
left,  and  about  noon  annoyed  the  American  pickets  placed  on 
that  flank.  General  Porter,  with  volunteers,  militia,  and  some 
friendly  Indians  of  the  Six  Nations,  soon  engaged  them,  and, 


40  LIFE  OF  GENERAL  SCOTT. 

after  some  skirmishing,  drove  them  through  the  wood,  back 
upon  Chippewa.  Here  the  British  irregulars,  finding  that 
their  main  army  under  General  Riall  was  advancing,  rallied, 
and  in  turn  attacked  Porter,  compelling  his  command  to  give 
way.  In  spite  of  his  own  efforts  and  personal  gallantry,  these 
light  troops  broke  and  fled,  at  sight  of  the  formidable  array  of 
Riall. 

It  was  now  about  four  o'clock.  General  Brown  was  then 
in  the  wood  with  Porter;  when  a  cloud  of  dust  arose  towards 
the  bridge  of  Chippewa,  and  a  firing  was  heard.  This  ap 
prized  him  that  the  British  army  was  advancing.  At  this 
very  moment,  General  Scott,  in  ignorance  of  the  British  ad 
vance,  was  moving  his  brigade  towards  the  plain,  simply  for 
the  purpose  of  drill.  Near  the  bridge  over  Street's  Creek  he 
met  General  Brown,  who  said — "  The  enemy  is  advancing. 
You  will  have  a  fight."  Beyond  this  brief  remark,  Scott  re 
ceived  no  further  orders  during  the  day.  General  Brown 
passed  to  the  rear,  to  put  Ripley's  brigade  in  motion,  and  to 
reassemble  the  light  troops  behind  Street's  Creek.  *  It  was  not 
till  he  arrived  at  the  bridge,  over  Street's  Creek,  two  hundred 
yards  to  the  right  of  his  camp  of  the  night  before,  that  Scott 
saw  the  enemy.  The  army  of  Riall  had  crossed  the  bridge 
over  the  Chippewa,  and  displayed  itself  on  the  plain  before  de 
scribed.  It  was  composed  of  the  100th  regiment,  under  Lieu 
tenant-Colonel  the  Marquis  of  Tweedale  ;  the  1st  or  Royal 
Scots,  under  Lieutenant-Colonel  Gordon ;  a  portion  of  the  8th 
or  King's  regiment;  a  detachment  of  the  Royal  Artillery  ;  a 
detachment  of  the  Royal  19th  Light  Dragoons;  and  a  portion 
of  Canada  militia  and  Indians.  The  main  body  of  these  troops 
were  among  the  best  in  the  British  army. 

This  force  was  supported  by  a  heavy  battery  of  nine  pieces, 
within  point-blank  range  of  the  American  troops.  Under  the 
fire  of  this  battery  the  corps  of  Scott  passed  the  bridge  in  per 
fect  order,  but  with  some  loss.  His  first  and  second  battalions, 
under  Majors  Leavenworth  and  M'Neil,  after  crossing,  formed 
a  line  to  the  front,  which  brought  them  opposed  respectively  to 
the  left  and  centre  of  the  enemy.  The  third  battalion  under 
Major  Jesup  obliqued  in  column  to  the  left,  and  advanced  to 


42  LIFE    OF    GENERAL    SCOTT. 

attack  the  right  of  the  enemy,  which  extended  into  the  wood. 
Captain  Towson  with  his  artillery  was  stationed  on  the  right, 
resting  in  the  Chippewa  road. 

General  Scott  soon  perceived  that,  although  there  were  no 
intervals  in  the  British  line,  yet  their  right  wing  outflanked  his 
left.  To  remedy  this  difficulty  caused  the  movement  of  Jesup, 
and  the  interval  between  the  battalions  of  Leavenworth  and 
M'Neil  on  the  plain,  was  greatly  enlarged.  These  evolutions 
were  executed  rapidly,  and  with  great  precision,  under  the  fire 
of  both  musketry  and  artillery. 

The  instant  that  Leavenworth  and  M'NeiFs  battalions  were 
thrown  into  oblique  positions,  both  armies  rapidly  advancing, 
Scott  galloped  to  our  battery  on  the  right,  and  called  out  to 
Towson — "  Captain,  more  to  the  left ;  the  enemy  is  there  !" 
Towson,  on  foot,  and  enveloped  in  smoke,  could  not  see  that 
the  enemy's  line  had  advanced  inside  the  range  of  his  last  dis 
charge.  The  gallant  Captain — than  whom  no  man  in  the 
army  possessed  a  greater  prowess — instantly  changed  the  di 
rection  of  his  two  remaining  guns  more  to  the  left,  and  gave  the 
final  destructive  fire,  a  second  or  two  before  the  conflict  of 
bayonets  on  that  flank. 

The  action  soon  became  general.  Major  Jesup  now  in  the 
wood,  and  out  of  view,  engaged,  and  held  in  check  the  enemy's 
right  wing.  The  plain  widened  on  that  flank,  and  the  enemy's 
main  line  continued  to  advance.  Jesup  having  thus  held  in 
check  one  battalion  in  the  wood,  the  engagement  there  gave 
the  enemy  a  new  right  flank  upon  the  plain.  General  Scott, 
who  had  continued  alternately  to  advance,  halt,  and  fire,  found 
himself  not  more  than  eighty  paces  from  the  enemy.  The 
enemy  having  a  new  flank,  Scott  took  advantage  of  the  en 
larged  interval  between  Leavenworth  and  M'Neil,  to  throw  the 
left  flank  of  M'Neil's  battalion  forward  on  its  right,  so  that  it 
stood  obliquely  to  the  enemy's  charge  and  flanking  him  a  little 
on  his  new  right.  At  this  moment  Scott  called  aloud  to 
M'Neil's  battalion,  which  had  not  a  recruit  in  it, — "  The 
enemy  say,  that  we  are  good  at  long  shot,  but  cannot  stand  the 
cold  iron!  I  call  upon  the  Eleventh  instantly  to  give  the  lie 
to  that  slander!  Charge!"  This  movement  was  executed 


44  LIFE    OF    GENERAL    SCOTT. 

with  decisive  effect.  A  corresponding  charge  was  also  made 
by  Leavenworth,  who  held  an  oblique  position  on  our  right. 
These  charges  were  sustained  by  the  flank  fire  of  Towson's 
artillery  on  the  right,  and  quickly  put  the  enemy  to  rout.  The 
British  army  broke,  and  fled  in  confusion. 

In  the  mean  while,  and  nearly  at  the  same  time,  Major 
Jesup,  commanding  the  left  flank  battalion,  finding  himself 
pressed  in  front  and  flank,  ordered  his  men  to  "  support  arms 
and  advance."  This  order  was  promptly  obeyed  amidst  a 
deadly  and  destructive  fire.  Having  gained  a  more  secure 
position,  he  returned  upon  the  enemy  so  severe  a  fire  as  caused 
them  to  retire.  Thus  was  the  whole  British  line  fairly  routed, 
in  a  field  action,  on  an  open  plain.  They  fled  to  their  intrench- 
ments  beyond  the  Chippewa,  hotly  pursued  by  Scott  to  the  dis- 
tance  of  half  musket-shot  of  Chippewa  Bridge.  He  took  many 
prisoners,  leaving  the  plain  behind  strewed  with  the  dead  and 
wounded  of  both  nations. 

The  battle  of  Chippewa  was  an  exciting  and  in  some  degree 
poetic  scene.  It  was  fought  at  the  close  of  a  long,  bright  sum- 
mer's  day.  On  one  side  rolled  the  rapids  of  the  deep  Niagara, 
on  the  other  was  seen  the  verdure  of  the  northern  forest.  The 
plain  on  which  the  hostile  forces  met  was  level  and  smooth,  as 
if  prepared  for  the  meeting  of  the  warriors  of  ancient  knight 
hood.  The  best  troops  of  England  wheeled  into  it  over  Chip 
pewa  Bridge,  and  the  regiments  of  America,  cool  and  disciplined, 
marched  to  meet  them  in  combat.  The  sun  shone  down,  and 
brilliant  arms  flashed  in  his  beams.  Each  movement  of  the 
troops  was  distinct.  As  the  battle  deepened,  fine  bands  of 
music  mingled  their  melody,  in  sudden  bursts,  with  the  roar  of 
artillery  and  the  moans  of  the  wounded. 

The  battle  ended,  and  many  were  the  dead  upon  that  dusty 
plain,  whose  last  groans  had  expired  with  the  last  rays  of  the 
setting  sun. 

Darkness  came  on,  and  wearied  with  battle  and  thirsty  with 
heat,  each  army  retired  to  its  camp.  The  dead  woke  not  from 
their  bloody  beds,  and  the  living  sank  to  rest.  The  wounded 
and  his  watcher,  the  sentinel  and  the  stars,  alone  kept  the  vigils 
of  the  night. 


ADVANCE    OF    THE    ARMY.  45 

In  the  British  official  account  of  this  battle,  the  American 
force  is  represented  as  numerically  superior.  The  fact  was 
the  reverse.  The  British  force  amounted  to  about  2100  men, 
and  the  American  to  1900.  The  total  killed  and  wounded  of 
the  British  troops  was  503,  and  the  Americans  lost  327. 


AMERICAN    ARMY    CROSSES    THE    CHIPPEWA. BATTLE    OF    NIAG 
ARA. SCOTT    WOUNDED    AND    DISABLED. 

THE  army  of  the  north  had  scarcely  rested  from  its  labors  at 
Chippewa,  when  it  was  called  to  the  still  more  sanguinary  field 
of  Niagara.  The  second  day  after  the  battle  of  the  5th,  the 
American  troops  forced  their  way  over  Chippewa  River.  In 
this,  Scott's  brigade  led,  and  the  enemy  retreated  before  him. 

In  the  afternoon  of  the  25th  of  July,  amidst  general  relaxa 
tion,  General  Brown  received  a  note  from  a  colonel  of  militia, 
whose  regiment  occupied  two  or  three  posts  on  the  American 
side  of  the  Niagara,  stating  in  the  most  precise  terms,  that  the 
enemy  had  thrown  a  thousand  men  across  from  Queenstown  to 
Lewistown,  nine  miles  below  the  Chippewa,  for  some  object 
not  exactly  understood.  Brown  conjectured  that  there  was  an 
intention  to  capture  our  magazines  at  Schlosser,  and  to  inter 
cept  supplies  coming  down  from  Buffalo.  In  order  to  recall 
him  from  this  object,  Brown  immediately  determined  to  threaten 
the  forts  at  the  mouth  of  the  Niagara.  In  less  than  twenty 
minutes  Scott's  command  was  put  in  motion  for  that  purpose. 
His  force  consisted  of  four  small  battalions,  under  Colonel 
Brady,  and  Majors  Jesup,  Leavenworth,  and  M'Neil ;  Captain 
Towson's  artillery,  and  Captain  Harris's  detachment  of  regular 
and  volunteer  cavalry  ;  in  all  amounting  to  thirteen  hundred 
men.  There  was  not  time  to  call  in  the  guards  which  belonged 
to  those  corps. 

About  two  miles  from  the  camp,  and  just  above  the  Falls, 
Scott  discovered  a  few  British  officers,  mounted,  who,  as  it 
turned  out,  were  in  advance  to  reconnoitre.  He  soon  learned 


46  LIFE    OF    GENERAL    SCOTT. 

that  the  enemy  was  in  some  little  force  below,  and  only  inter 
cepted  from  the  view  by  a  narrow  wood. 

In  this  situation,  Scott  for  a  moment  reflected  on  what  course 
should  be  pursued.  He  was  instructed  to  march  rapidly  on 
the  forts,  under  positive  information,  (given  as  we  have  narrated 
to  General  Brown,)  that  Riall  had,  three  hours  before,  thrown 
half  his  force  across  the  Niagara.  Reflecting  that  the  whole 
had  been  beaten  on  the  5th  inst.,  he  lost  no  time  in  reconnoi 
tring,  but  dashed  forward  to  disperse  what  he  thought  was  the 
remnant  of  the  British  army  opposed  to  him. 

After  dispatching  Assistant  Adjutant-General  Jones  to  Gen 
eral  Brown  with  the  information  that  the  enemy  was  in  front, 
he  proceeded  to  pass  the  wood,  just  below  Forsythe's  House. 
There  he  was  greatly  astonished  to  find,  directly  in  front, 
drawn  up  in  order  of  battle,  on  Lundy's  Lane,  a  larger  force 
even  than  that  he  had  encountered  at  Chippewa  twenty  days 
before  !  The  position  he  was  in  was  extremely  critical.  To 
stand  fast  was  out  of  the  question,  being  already  under  a  heavy 
fire  of  the  enemy's  artillery  and  musketry.  To  retreat  was 
equally  hazardous  ;  for  there  is  always,  in  such  a  case,  the 
probability  of  confusion,  and,  at  this  time,  the  danger  of  creating 
a  panic  in  the  reserve,  then  supposed  to  be  coming  up,  and 
which  had  not  been  in  the  previous  battle. 

Scott  saw  that  no  measure  but  one  of  boldness  would  succeed. 
He  therefore  determined  to  maintain  the  battle  against  superior 
numbers  and  position  till  the  reserve  came  up,  thus  giving 
General  Riall  the  idea  that  the  whole  American  army  was  at 
hand.  This  would  prevent  him  from  profiting  by  his  numeri 
cal  strength  to  attack  our  flanks  and  rear.  He  would  thus 
lose  the  initial,  a  matter  of  no  small  importance  in  military 
enterprises.  The  scheme  succeeded.  For  a  long  time  the 
enemy  was  kept  on  the  defensive,  till  the  American  reserve 
had  come  up  and  entered  into  the  action. 

In  the  mean  while  Scott  had  sent  back  to  General  Brown. 
Lieutenant  Douglass,  as  well  as  Major  Jones,  to  report  the 
condition  of  affairs.  The  first  was  to  report  that  the  remnant 
of  Riall's  army  was  manoeuvring  to  protect  the  detachment 
thrown  over  the  Niagara ;  the  second  was  to  inform  the  gen- 


:'.  BATTLE    OF    NIAGARA.  47 

•ral,  that  so  far  from  being  diminished,  the  British  army  was 
actually  reinforced,  and  thus  to  hasten  up  the  reserve. 

The  battle  began  about  forty  minutes  before  sunset,  and,  like 
its  predecessor  at  Chippewa,  was  the  closing  drama  of  a  long 
and  warm  summer's  day.  Like  that  too,  it  signalized  among 
the  affairs  of  men  a  spot  which  in  the  world  of  nature  had  been 
rendered  illustrious  by  one  of  the  great  and  glorious  works  of 
God.  When  the  battle  was  about  to  begin,  just  as  the  setting 
sun  sent  his  red  beams  from  the  west,  they  fell  upon  the  spray, 
which  continually  goes  up,  like  incense,  from  the  deep,  dashing 
torrent  of  Niagara.  The  bright  light  was  divided  into  its 
primal  hues,  and  a  rainbow  rose  from  the  waters,  encircling  the 
head  of  the  advancing  column  !  In  a  more  superstitious  age, 
such  a  sign  would  have  been  regarded,  like  the  Roman 
auguries,  as  a  precursor  of  victory.  Even  now,  this  bow  of 
promise  furnished  the  inspiration  of  hope,  with  the  colors  of 
beauty. 

The  line  which  now  opened  its  fire  upon  Scott,  at  the  dis 
tance  of  one  hundred  and  fifty  paces,  was  already  eighteen 
hundred  strong.  It  was  well  posted  in  Lundy's  Lane,  a  ridge 
nearly  at  right  angles  with  the  Niagara  River,  a  little  below 
the  cataract.  Its  left  was  on  the  road  parallel  to  the  river, 
with  a  space  covered  with  brushwood,  of  some  two  hundred 
yards,  between.  Scott  observing  this  interval,  soon  ordered 
Major  Jesup,  sustained  by  Colonel  Brady,  to  take  advantage 
of  it,  and,  concealed  by  the  bushes  and  twilight,  to  turn  the 
enemy's  left.  The  other  battalions  had  been  before  promptly 
deployed  into  line,  and  the  action  joined  by  it  (Brady  on  the 
right)  and  Towson's  artillery.  The  small  detachments  of 
cavalry  on  both  sides  were  held  in  reserve.  The  enemy,  find 
ing  after  some  time  that  he  outflanked  us  on  the  left,  threw  for 
ward  a  battalion  to  take  us  in  flank  and  rear.  Scott,  although 
with  inferior  numbers,  caused  this  movement  to  be  promptly 
met  and  repelled  by  Major  M'Neil's  battalion,  but  with  great 
loss  on  both  sides.  At  the  same  moment,  the  action  in  front 
was  desperately  contested  by  Brady,  now  in  line,  and  by 
Leavenworth  and  Towson.  Major  Jesup  had  succeeded  in  his 
movement.  He  had  taken  Major-General  Riall,  and  several 


48  LIFE    OF    GENERAL    SCOTT. 

other  officers,  prisoners,  and  then  gallantly  charged  back, 
(cutting  off  a  portion  of  the  enemy's  left  wing,)  reappearing, 
and  resuming  his  position  in  line. 

The  battle  which  had  commenced  before  sunset  continued 
into  the  night.  Twilight  had  gone,  and  it  was  now  nine  o'clock. 
The  enemy's  right  had  been  beaten  back  from  its  flank  assault 
with  great  loss.  His  left  was  turned  and  cut  off.  His  ceptre 
alone  remained  firm.  It  was  posted  on  a  ridge,  and  supported 
by  nine  pieces  of  artillery. 

Three  battalions  of  Drummond's  reinforcements  had  al 
ready  arrived,  and  a  fourth  was  only  a  few  miles  behind. 
Such  was  the  state  of  the  field,  when  Major-General  Brown 
arrived,  a  little  in  advance  of  our  reserve.  He  insisted  on 
having  all  the  particulars,  reported  to  him  previously  by  the 
detached  staff-officers  mentioned,  explained  and  confirmed  to 
him  by  the  lips  of  Scott.  At  this  point,  General  Brown  in  his 
official  report  takes  up  the  narrative,  from  his  own  personal 
observation.  We  select  a  few  extracts  in  continuance  of  the 
history. 

After  speaking  of  Scott's  brigade,  and  its  position  in  the  first 
part  of  the  battle,  he  says — "  Apprehending  that  these  corps 
were  much  exhausted,  and  knowing  that  they  had  suffered  se 
verely,  I  determined  to  interpose  a  new  line  with  the  advancing 
troops,  and  thus  disengage  General  Scott,  and  hold  his  brigade 
in  reserve.  Orders  were  accordingly  given  to  General  Ripley. 
The  enemy's  artillery  at  this  moment  occupied  a  hill,  which 
gave  him  great  advantages,  and  was  the  key  to  the  whole 
position.  It  was  supported  by  a  line  of  infantry.  To  secure 
the  victory,  it  was  necessary  to  carry  this  artillery  and  seize 
the  height.  This  duty  was  assigned  to  Colonel  Miller. 

"  He  (Colonel  Miller)  advanced  steadily  and  gallantly  to  his 
object,  and  carried  the  height  and  the  cannon.  General  Rip- 
ley  brought  up  the  23d,  which  had  faltered,  to  his  support,  and 
the  enemy  disappeared  from  before  them.  *  *  *  *  The  enemy 
rallying  his  forces,  and  as  is  believed,  having  received  rein 
forcements,  now  attempted  to  drive  us  from  our  position  and 
regain  his  artillery.  Our  line  was  unshaken  and  the  enemy 
repulsed.  Two  other  attempts,  having  the  same  object,  had 


BATTLE    OF    NIAGARA.  49 

the  same  issue.  General  Scott  was  again  engaged  in  repelling 
the  former  of  these ;  and  the  last  I  saw  of  him  on  the  field  of 
battle,  he  was  near  the  head  of  his  column,  and  giving  to  its 
march  a  direction  that  would  have  placed  him  on  the  enemy's 
right.  *******  Having  been  for  some  time  wounded,  and  be 
ing  a  good  deal  exhausted  by  loss  of  blood,  it  became  my  wish 
to  devolve  the  command  on  General  Scott,  and  retire  from  the 
field,  but,  on  inquiry,  I  had  the  misfortune  to  learn  that  he  was 
disabled  by  wounds ;  I  therefore  kept  my  post,  and  had  the 
satisfaction  to  see  the  enemy's  last  effort  repulsed." 

The  crisis  of  this  engagement  was  the  moment  when  the 
enemy's  battery,  which  from  its  position  commanded  the  field 
of  action,  was  stormed  by  Miller's  regiment.  This  charge 
was  one  of  the  finest  achievements  of  the  American  army. 
General  Brown  said  to  the  gallant  Miller — "Sir,  can  you 
take  that  battery  ?"  "  I  WILL  TRY,"  was  the  reply  of  the 
bluff  soldier — a  phrase  now  become  familiar  to  all  American 
lips.  Scott,  who  was  perfectly  acquainted  with  the  ground, 
conducted  Miller,  in  the  darkness  of  the  night,  some  distance, 
till  he  had  the  right  direction.  He  then  returned  to  re 
new  the  attack  in  front,  in  order  to  favor  the  movement  of 
Miller. 

The  enemy's  battery  being  taken,  and  the  ridge  previously 
occupied  by  the  enemy  being  gained,  the  American  army 
changed  position.  It  was  now  drawn  up  nearly  at  right  angles 
to  the  lane,  with  its  back  to  the  river.  Scott  was  on  the  right, 
Ripley  in  the  centre,  and  Porter,  with  the  militia,  on  the  left. 
In  this  new  position,  the  American  line  generally  acted  on 
the  defensive.  The  British  desired  to  recover  the  ground 
they  had  lost,  and  made  several  assaults.  These  were  as 
often  repulsed,  but  the  enemy  would  again  rally  and  return  to 
the  charge. 

It  was  in  one  of  these  contests  General  Brown  had  last 
seen  Scott.  About  that  time,  the  latter  had  twice  formed 
small  portions  of  his  brigade  into  column,  advanced,  charged 
the  British  line,  also  advancing,  pierced  it,  and  compelled  it  to 
fall  back.  In  such  a  battle,  with  such  impetuous  courage, 
Scott  was  necessarily  exposed  to  all  the  dangers  of  the  field. 

4 


BATTLE    OF    NIAGARA.  51 

Two  horses  were  killed  under  him.  In  the  midst  of  the 
action,  he  was  wounded  in  the  side.  At  eleven  o'clock  in  the 
night,  he  was  disabled  by  a  wound  from  a  musket-ball  through 
the  left  shoulder.  His  aid,  Lieutenant  Worth,  and  his  brigade- 
major,  Smith,  were  also  both  severely  wounded. 

The  contest  closed  by  the  possession  of  the  field  of  battle 
by  the  Americans,  and  the  capture  of  the  enemy's  cannon. 

The  world  has  seen  mightier  armies  moved  over  more  me 
morable  fields,  and  followed  by  louder  notes  of  the  far- resound 
ing  trumpet  of  fame  ;  but  a  bloodier  scene  for  those  engaged, 
a  severer  trial  of  courage  and  of  discipline,  or  one  whose 
action  was  more  closely  associated  with  the  sublime  and  beau 
tiful  in  nature,  the  world  has  not  seen.  The  armies  were 
drawn  out  near  the  shores  of  that  rapid  river  whose  current 
mingles  lake  with  lake.  Hard  by,  was  that  CATARACT  whose 
world  of  waters  rushes  over  the  precipice,  and,  rushing,  roars 
into  the  gulf  below !  The  ceaseless  spray  rises  up,  like  in 
cense  to  the  eternal  Father !  The  beams  of  sun,  and  moon, 
and  stars,  fall  ceaselessly  on  that  spray,  and  are  sent  back  in 
many-colored  hues  to  the  source  of  light !  So  was  it  when, 
wheeling  into  the  field  of  battle,  the  slant  beams  of  the  setting 
sun,  returning  from  the  spray,  encircled  the  advancing  column 
with  rainbow  colors  !  The  sun  went  down,  to  many  an  eye, 
no  more  to  rise  on  earth  ! 

With  the  darkness  came  the  greater  rage  of  battle — charge 
after  charge  was  made.  For  a  time  the  faint  beams  of  the 
moon  struggled  with  the  smoke,  and  gave  a  little  light  to  the 
combatants ;  but  it  was  but  little.  The  moon  itself  became 
obscured,  and  no  light,  save  the  rapid  flashes  of  musket  and 
cannon,  pierced  the  heavy  clouds. 

The  fight  raged  in  the  darkness  of  the  night.  From  the 
height  on  the  ridge,  the  battery  of  the  enemy  still  poured  its 
deadly  fire. 

It  was  then  that  the  gallant  Miller  said,  "  I  will  try."  It 
was  then  that  Scott  piloted  his  column  through  darkness  to 
Lundy's  Lane.  It  was  then  that  brave  regiment  charged  to 
the  cannon's  mouth.  The  battery  was  taken.  The  victory 
rests  with  the  American  army. 


52  LIFE    OF    GENERAL    SCOTT. 

It  was  midnight.  The  battle  is  ended.  The  army,  faint 
and  weary,  drags  itself  from  the  bloody  plain.  The  well  sink 
to  their  couch  to  dream  of  homes  far  away  !  The  wounded 
groan  in  their  painful  hospitals.  The  dead  rest  till  the  last 
trumpet  shall  summon  them  to  the  last  array !  The  warrior, 
with  his  garments  rolled  in  blood,  has  left  the  scene  of  strug 
gles,  pains,  and  death !  Some  kind  friend  may  have  sought 
him,  whether  alive  or  dead  j  but  the  war-drum  had  ceased  to 
beat ;  the  artillery  ceased  to  roll ;  and  now  the  solemn,  sono 
rous  fall  of  Niagara  is  to  the  dead  their  requiem,  and  to  the 
living  their  song  of  glory  ! 

The  battle  of  Niagara  has  been,  by  mistake  or  accident, 
commonly  called  in  the  United  States,  the  battle  of  Bridge- 
water.  In  the  official  report  of  the  British  general  it  was 
called  the  battle  of  Lundy's  Lane.  It  has  been  usage,  how 
ever,  to  call  a  battle,  or  other  important  event,  from  the  most 
remarkable  object  near  the  scene  of  action.  Fought,  as  this 
battle  was,  near  that  mighty  cataract  which  makes  one  of  the 
wonders  of  nature,  on  either  side  of  the  Atlantic  ;  fought  too 
with  a  courage  and  a  constancy  worthy  of  such  an  associa 
tion,  why  should  it  not  be  named  from  those  loud,  sounding 
waters  ?  Let  it  then  be  called,  THE  BATTLE  OF  NIAGARA. 
Let  the  memory  of  the  dead,  and  the  fame  of  the  living,  roll 
on  with  those  waters  to  the  distant  future ! 

The  American  loss  was  860  ;  that  of  the  British  878. 


SCOTT  S   JOURNEY  FROM  NIAGARA  TO  PHILADELPHIA. IS  RE 
CEIVED  AT  PRINCETON. 

WE  last  saw  Scott  on  the  field  of  Niagara.  He  was  borne 
from  that  scene  of  glory,  to  the  care  of  nurses  and  surgeons, 
a  wounded  and  suffering  soldier.  He  had  been  wounded,  as 
we  have  narrated,  first  by  a  spent  ball,  in  the  side,  and  next 
by  a  musket-ball  which  passed  directly  through  the  left 
shoulder.  The  last  was  a  wound  in  its  nature  serious  and 


54  LIFE    OF    GENERAL    SCOTT. 

painful.  His  recovery  was,  for  a  month,  very  doubtful.  He 
lay,  in  great  agony,  at  Buffalo  and  Williamsville.  He  was 
then  removed  to  the  house  of  his  kind  friend,  Mr.  Brisbane, 
in  Batavia,  and  as  soon  as  his  health  was  sufficiently  restored, 
he  departed  by  easy  journeys  for  Philadelphia,  for  the  purpose 
of  placing  himself  under  the  care  of  those  distinguished 
surgeons,  Drs.  Physick  and  Chapman. 

At  the  classic  and  memorable  ground  of  PrinSeton,  an  in 
cident  occurred,  alike  adapted  to  cheer  the  heart  of  the  dis 
abled  soldier,  and  give  propriety  and  freshness  to  his  reception 
on  the  spot,  where  the  muse  of  history  has  not  disdained  to 
dwell  in  the  humble  abodes  of  philosophy. 

The  annual  commencement  at  the  College  of  New  Jersey 
(Nassau  Hall)  happened  to  occur  on  the  day  Scott  reached 
Princeton.  Upon  quitting  the  carriage,  he  was  supported 
to  a  bed,  intending,  by  easy  stages,  to  reach  Philadelphia 
that  night.  It  was  soon  whispered  about,  that  General 
Scott  had  entered  the  town.  The  faculty  of  the  college 
immediately  sent  a  deputation  to  the  hotel  to  invite  his  at- 
tendance  at  the  church.  He  suffered  himself  to  be  carried 
thither.  Pale  and  meager,  his  left  shoulder  swollen  and 
bandaged,  his  arm  in  a  sling,  and  his  furred  surtout  flung 
over  his  person,  the  invalid  with  difficulty  ascended  the  stage 
where  the  exercises  were  performed. 

There,  the  president,  trustees,  and  other  dignitaries  of  the 
college,  were  waiting  his  slow  approach,  amidst  learning, 
beauty,  and  fashion,  collected  from  far  and  near.  The  hands 
and  kerchiefs  of  the  ladies,  as  well  as  the  voices  of  men,  in 
cluding  hundreds  of  enthusiastic  students,  were  in  constant 
exercise.  The  rafters  of  the  old  edifice  rang  and  re-echoed 
with  applause. 

In  Nassau  Hall,  it  is  customary  to  select  the  most  graceful 
and  elegant  speaker  to  deliver  the  valedictory  address  On 
this  day,  the  orator  was  Bloomfield  M'llvaine,  Esq.  His 
theme  was,  "  The  public  duties  of  a  good  citizen  in  peace  and 
war" — a  subject  well  adapted  to  the  then  situation  of  the 
country,  and  not  improper  at  any  time.  Towards  the  close 
of  his  oration,  the  speaker  turned  to  Scott,  and  in  the  most 


56  LIFE    OF    GENERAL    SCOTT. 

graceful  and  extemporaneous  oratory,  made  him  the  personifi 
cation  of  the  civic  and  heroic  virtues.  Nothing  could  have 
been  more  happily  adapted  to  the  person  and  the  subject. 
The  sympathies  of  the  audience  burst  forth  in  applause,  alike 
to  the  young  and  disabled  general  who  was  personified,  and  to 
the  eloquent  and  enthusiastic  student  whose  ready  genius  had 
paid  so  just  and  beautiful  a  tribute. 


PUBLIC    HONORS    PAID    TO    GENERAL    SCOTT. 

THE  war  of  1812  being  now  ended,  and  Scott  having  passed 
from  the  battle-field  to  the  domestic  fireside,  it  is  fit  we  should 
here  review  some  of  the  promotions,  compliments,  and  honors, 
which  his  country  and  countrymen,  at  various  times,  bestowed 
upon  him,  for  his  gallant  and  successful  conduct. 

Scott  entered  the  army  in  1808,  at  twenty-two  years  of  age. 
In  1814,  when  only  twenty-eight,  he  had  ascended  to  the  high 
est  military  rank,  that  of  major-general,  which  is  attainable 
in  the  United  States.  In  a  very  short  time  also,  he  was  dis 
tinguished  by  honors  and  memorials,  from  various  civil  bodies 
and  public  authorities,  such  as  have  been  seldom  conferred 
upon  one  person,  and  upon  one  so  young — perhaps  never. 

The  testimonials  of  legislative  bodies,  and  of  men  engaged  in 
civil  and  peaceful  duties,  to  the  merit  and  services  of  Scott, 
were  not  less  strong  than  those  which  emanated  from  the  ex 
ecutive  and  the  military  functionaries. 

Near  the  close  of  the  war,  Congress  passed  a  veto  of  thanks, 
in  which  Scott  was  not  only  specifically  complimented  for  his 
skill  and  gallantry,  in  the  conflicts  of  Chippewa  and  Niagara, 
but  for  his  uniform  good  conduct  throughout  the  war — a  compli 
ment  paid  by  Congress  to  no  other  officer. 

Resolution  of  Congress — approved  Nov.  3d,  1814. 
"  Resolved,  that  the  President  of  the  United  States  be  re 
quested  to  cause  a  gold  medal  to  be  struck,  with  suitable  em- 


.  1814. 

BATTIUB8  OF  (CHEIPPIBWA 


58  LIFE    OF    GENERAL    SCOTT. 

blems  and  devices,  and  presented  to  Major-General  Scott,  in 
testimony  of  the  high  sense  entertained  by  Congress  of  his  dis 
tinguished  services,  in  the  successive  conflicts  of  Chippewa  and 
Niagara,  and  of  his  uniform  gallantry  and  good  conduct  in 
sustaining  the  reputation  of  the  arms  of  the  United  States." 

The  medal  thus  ordered  by  Congress,  was  presented  by 
President  Monroe,  accompanied  by  the  following  address. 

Executive  Mansion,  February  26,  1825  ;  } 
in  the  presence  of  the  Cabinet,  and  of  > 
many  other  distinguished  persons.  ) 

President  Monroe's  Address. 

"  General  Scott — Your  conduct  in  the  late  war  merited  and 
obtained,  in  a  high  degree,  the  approbation  of  Congress  and 
your  country.  In  the  battles  of  Chippewa  and  Niagara,  in 
Upper  Canada,  in  the  campaign  of  1814,  your  daring  enter 
prise  and  gallantry  in  action  were  eminently  conspicuous. 

"  In  rendering  justice  to  you,  I  recur  with  pleasure  to  the 
report  made  of  those  actions  by  the  military  commander,  the 
most  competent  judge  of  your  merit.  In  the  battle  of  Chippe- 
wa,  he  says,  you  are  entitled  to  the  highest  praise  your  coun 
try  can  bestow  ;  and  that  we  are  indebted  to  you,  more  than  to 
any  other  person,  for  the  victory  obtained  in  it. 

"  In  the  battle  of  Niagara  you  commenced  the  action,  and 
your  gallantry  in  several  severe  encounters,  until  disabled  by 
severe  wounds,  was  equally  distinguished.  As  a  testimonial 
of  the  high  sense  entertained  by  Congress  of  your  merit  in 
those  actions,  I  have  the  pleasure  to  present  you  this  medal." 

The  medal  is  a  beautiful  specimen  of  the  numismatic  art. 
It  is  large  and  of  massive  gold.  The  drawing  shows  both  faces 
of  the  medal  and  its  exact  dimensions.  The  portrait  of  the 
general,  in  relievo,  is  true  to  life.  The  inscription  on  the  re 
verse  face,  as  shown  in  the  drawing,  is  surrounded  with  a 
wreath  of  palm  and  laurel,  entwined  about  a  serpent  formed 
into  a  circle— emblem  of  youth  and  immortality,  or  youth 
crowned  with  victory.  It  is  a  cherished  memorial  of  national 
gratitude. 

There  is  an  incident  connected  with  this  medal  which  we 


SINGULAR    INCIDENT.  59 

cannot  forbear  to  relate.  It  is  not  an  item  of  general  history, 
and  yet  cannot  fail  to  be  interesting  to  the  general  reader. 
It  illustrates  a  great  principle  of  human  action.  It  indi 
cates  how  deeply  the  feeling  of  reverence  for  distinguished 
and  brilliant  services  sinks  into  the  heart,  and  how  pure  that 
feeling  may  remain  when  other  and  kindred  virtues  have 
yielded  to  temptation. 

This  medal  was  deposited  by  General  Scott,  many  years 
since,  for  safe  keeping,  in  the  City  Bank  of  New  York.  Some 
time  after,  the  bank  was  entered  by  false  keys,  and  robbed  of 
bullion  and  other  funds  to  the  large  amount  of  two  hundred  and 
fifty  thousand  dollars. 

The  first  clerk,  on  entering  the  day  after  the  robbery,  dis 
covered  that  the  safe  had  been  forced,  and  soon  ascertained  the 
extent  of  the  loss.  On  examining  the  trunk  in  which  the 
medal  was  deposited,  he  found,  to  his  surprise  and  delight,  that 
the  medal  was  safe,  though  every  dollar  of  the  bullion  deposit 
ed  with  it  had  been  taken.  The  matter  was  inexplicable  to 
the  officers  of  the  bank.  The  robber  had  burst  open  the  trunk, 
stripped  it  of  its  valuable  contents,  opened  the  case  which  en 
closed  the  medal,  and  yet  left  that  large  piece  of  massive  gold 
behind.  No  motive  could  be  discovered  for  such  an  act.  The 
robber  was  finally  arrested,  the  funds  recovered,  and  the  law 
satisfied  by  a  full  term  of  service  in  the  state  prison. 

At  a  subsequent  period,  in  passing  down  the  Hudson  River, 
on  board  a  steamboat,  General  Scott's  purse  was  abstracted 
from  his  pocket.  The  fact  being  made  known  to  the  chief  of 
the  police,  the  money  was  soon  discovered  and  restored.  It 
was  during  the  progress  of  this  investigation  that  the  burglar 
who  had  robbed  the  City  Bank  reproached  his  confederates 
with  their  want  of  honorable  bearing.  He  said,  "  that  when  he 
took  the  money  from  the  City  Bank  he  saw  and  well  knew  the 
value  of  the  medal,  but  scorned  to  take  from  the  soldier  what 
had  been  given  by  the  gratitude  of  his  country." 

This  incident  is  a  curious  phenomenon  in  the  operations  of 
the  human  mind.  A  man  who  made  theft  and  robbery  his 
profession,  and  felt  no  compunctions  in  seizing  the  property  of 
others,  groped  his  way  with  a  dark  laniern,  through  vaults 


60  LIFE    OF    GENERAL    SCOTT. 

and  narrow  passes,  until  at  length  he  reached  the  object  of 
his  hopes.  He  broke  the  locks,  and  by  his  dim  light  discovered 
bags  of  gold.  He  seized  them  with  avidity.  In  his  search  he 
discovered  the  medal  of  a  patriot  soldier.  One  current  of 
virtuous  feeling  had  not  been  corrupted.  He  replaced  the  treas 
ure,  and  rejoiced  that  he  yet  loved  his  country  and  honored 
her  defenders. 


1  cannot  take  that  Medal. 

In  February,  1816,  both  houses  of  the  Virginia  legislature 
passed  unanimously  a  vote  of  thanks  to  General  Scott,  for  his 
uniform  good  conduct  in  the  war.  At  the  same  time  the  gov 
ernor  was  directed  to  procure  a  suitable  sword,  with  proper 
emblems  and  devices,  and  have  the  same  presented  to  him  as 
a  memorial  of  their  high  estimation  of  his  conduct. 

Resolutions  of  the  Virginia  Legislature. 

"  Resolved  unanimously,  by  the  Senate  and  House  of  Dele 
gates  of  the  Commonwealth  of  Virginia,  in  general  assembly 


PUBLIC    HONORS    PAID    TO    GENERAL    SCOTT.  61 

convened,  that  the  governor  be,  and  he  is  hereby  requested,  to 
present  the  thanks  of  this  general  assembly  to  Major-General 
WINFIELD  SCOTT,  a  native  citizen  of  this  state,  for  his  uniform 
good  conduct  in  sustaining  the  military  reputation  of  the  United 
States,  in  every  conflict  or  engagement  in  which  he  was  pres 
ent  during  the  late  war  with  England,  but  more  especially  ia 
the  successive  engagements  of  Chippewa  and  Niagara. 

"  Resolved,  also  unanimously,  that  the  governor  be,  and  he  is 
hereby  requested,  to  cause  a  suitable  sword,  with  proper  em 
blems  and  devices  thereon,  to  be  presented  to  Major-General 
SCOTT,  as  a  mark  of  the  high  opinion  this  assembly  entertains 
of  his  gallantry  and  distinguished  services,  in  the  battles  of 
Chippewa  and  Niagara. 

"  Resolved,  also  unanimously,  that  the  governor  be,  and  he  is 
hereby  requested,  to  forward  to  MAJOR-GENERAL  SCOTT  a  copy 
of  these  resolutions,  and  to  present,  through  him,  the  thanks 
of  this  assembly  to  his  gallant  associates  in  arms,  during  the 
campaign  of  1814. 

"Unanimously  agreed  to  in  both  houses, 
February  12,  1816. 

WM.  MUMFORD,  C.  H.  D." 

About  the  same  time  with  the  passage  of  the  resolutions  we 
have  recited,  by  the  State  of  Virginia,  others  were  passed  of 
similar  import,  by  the  Legislature  of  the  State  of  New  York, 
along  whose  western  frontier  a  large  portion  of  Scott's  public 
services  had  been  rendered.  The  legislature  empowered  his 
Excellency  DANIEL  D.  TOMPKINS,  then  governor  of  that  state,  to 
present  General  Scott  its  thanks  for  his  services,  and  a  sword, 
which  was  done.  The  presentation  took  place  on  what  is 
called  in  New  York  Evacuation  Day.  The  following  account 
of  the  proceedings  has  a  more  than  common  interest,  by  the 
peculiar  aptness  of  the  addresses  made. 


62  LIVE  Or  GENERAL  SCOTT. 

In  the  City  Hall  of  New  York ;  Anniversary,  Nov.  ) 
25th,  1816,  of  the  Evacuation  of  the  City  by  the  V 
British  troops,  at  the  end  of  the  Revolutionary  War.  } 

Governor  Tompkins's  Address  to  Major-General  Scott. 

"  SIR— 

I  avail  myself  of  an  anniversary  commemorative  of 
the  exploits  of  our  forefathers,  to  perform  the  pleasing  duty  ot 
proclaiming  the  gratitude  of  the  people  of  this  state  to  those 
descendants  of  the  heroes  of  the  Revolution,  whose  services  in 
the  late  war  have  contributed  so  mainly  to  perpetuate  the  in 
dependence  which  our  venerated  ancestors  achieved,  and  to 
advance  the  glory  of  the  American  nation. 

"  In  adverting,  sir,  to  your  claims  of  distinction,  it  would  be 
sufficient  to  say,  that  on  all  occasions  you  have  displayed  the 
highest  military  accomplishments,  the  most  ardent  attachment 
to  the  rights  and  honor  of  your  country,  and  the  most  intrepid 
exertions  in  their  support.  A  rapid  and  unprecedented  suc 
cession  of  promotions  at  an  early  age,  has  been  the  well- 
earned  fruit  of  your  talents.  The  distinguished  notice  by 
your  government  is  the  best  encomiumT  on  your  character, 
and  the  highest  reward  to  which  the  virtuous  and  the  great 
aspire. 

"  But,  sir,  your  military  career  is  replete  with  splendid 
events.  Without  descending  into  too  much  minuteness,  I  may 
briefly  refer  to  your  exploits  in  the  most  interesting  portion  of 
the  American  continent.  The  shores  of  Niagara,  from  Erie 
to  Ontario,  are  inscribed  with  your  name,  and  with  the  names 
of  your  brave  companions.  The  defeat  of  the  enemy  at  Fort 
George  will  not  be  forgotten.  The  memorable  conflict  on  the 
plains  of  Chippewa,  and  the  appalling  night-battle  on  the 
Heights  of  Niagara,  are  events  which  have  added  new  celebrity 
to  the  spots  where  they  happened,  heightening  the  majesty  of 
the  stupendous  cataract,  by  combining  with  its  natural,  all  the 
force  of  the  moral  sublime.  The  admirers  of  the  great  in 
nature,  from  all  quarters  of  the  globe,  will  forever  visit  the 
theatre  of  your  achievements.  They  will  bear  to  their  distant 
homes  the  idea  of  this  mighty  display  of  nature,  and  will  as- 


SCOTT   VISITS    EUROPE.  63 

sociate  with  it  the  deeds  of  you  and  your  brothers  in  arms. 
And  so  long  as  the  beautiful  and  sublime  shall  be  objects  of 
admiration  among  men ;  so  long  as  the  whelming  waters  of 
Erie  shall  be  tumbled  into  the  awful  depths  of  Niagara,  so 
long  shall  the  splendid  actions  in  which  you  have  had  so  con 
spicuous  a  share,  endure  in  the  memory  of  man. 

"  Accept,  sir,  the  sword  presented  to  you  by  the  people  of 
this  state,  as  a  pledge  of  their  affection  and  gratitude  for  your 
distinguished  services ;  and  may  the  remainder  of  your  life  be 
as  serene  and  happy,  as  your  early  days  have  been  useful  and 
glorious." 


GENERAL    SCOTT    VISITS    EUROPE. 

SOON  after  the  close  of  the  war,  General  Scott  visited  Europe 
by  order  of  the  government,  both  for  the  restoration  of  his  health, 
and  professional  improvement.  He  was  confidentially  intrusted 
with  diplomatic  functions,  to  ascertain  the  temper  and  views 
of  certain  courts,  respecting  revolutionary  struggles  then  com 
menced  in  the  Spanish  provinces  of  America,  and  the  appre 
hended  designs  of  Great  Britain  upon  the  Island  of  Cuba, — both 
at  that  time  subjects  of  no  little  solicitude  to  the  cabinet  at 
Washington. 

On  his  return  to  the  United  States  he  was  assigned  to  the 
command  of  the  seaboard.  His  head-quarters  were  in  the 
City  of  New  York.  In  that  city,  and  near  it,  at  Elizabethtown, 
New  Jersey,  and  in  the  same  command,  with  the  exception  of 
two  years  at  the  west,  he  resided  during  the  next  twenty  years. 
In  March,  1817,  he  was  married  to  Miss  Maria  Mayo,  of  Rich 
mond,  Virginia.  They  have  several  daughters,  but  no  living 
son. 

After  the  return  of  General  Scott  from  Europe,  little  oc 
curred  in  his  life  beyond  the  ordinary  duties  of  the  command 
ing  general  of  division,  until  the  Black-Hawk  campaign  of 
1932. 


64  LIFE    OF    GENERAL    SCOTT. 

BLACK-HAWK  WAR. INCIDENTS  AND  SCENES  CONNECTED  WITH  IT. 

THE  North  American  Indians,  if  not  possessed  of  strong 
local  attachments,  have  ever  manifested  a  warm  and  almost 
sacred  regard  for  the  graves  of  their  ancestors.  When  passing 
by,  they  strew  handfuls  of  earth  upon  them.  They  part  from 
these  tombs  with  bitter  regret,  when  necessity  makes  them 
wanderers  from  their  native  land ;  and  when  generations  have 
passed  away,  even  remote  descendants  return  to  revisit  and  honor 
the  spot  where  their  dead  have  been  laid. 

The  principal  village  of  the  Sacs  and  Foxes,  for  a  long  pe 
riod  of  time,  was  on  the  beautiful  river  peninsula  between 
Rock  River  and  the  Mississippi,  and  near  their  junction. 
Here,  in  the  midst  of  a  wilderness  of  beauty  seldom  equalled, 
on  a"  soil  so  rich  that  the  Indian  women  found  little  difficulty  in 
planting  and  gathering  their  corn,  a  band  of  the  Sacs  resided, 
as  late  as  1830.  Their  chief,  known  as  BLACK-HAWK,  had 
been  born  on  that  ground.  Annually  they  had  planted  their 
corn.  They  loved  the  rolling  waters  of  Rock  River.  They 
loved  the  lovely  island  near  its  mouth ;  and  they  loved,  as  the 
white  man  loves,  scenes  where,  from  youth  to  age,  they  had 
beheld  the  splendors  of  nature  ;  and  they  loved  that  ancient  vil 
lage  spot  which  by  repeated  burials  had  become  the  mournful 
graveyard  of  the  nation. 

By  a  treaty  made  with  the  chiefs  of  the  Sacs,  these  lands 
east  of  the  Mississippi  were  ceded  to  the  whites;  but  it  was 
also  provided,  that  so  long  as  they  belonged  to  the  United 
States,  the  Indians  should  have  the  privilege  of  living  and  hunt 
ing  upon  them.  The  United  States  also  guarantied  the  Indians 
against  any  intrusion  of  the  white  settlers.  Trespasses,  how 
ever,  did  occur,  by  whites,  in  violation  of  the  laws  of  Congress, 
and  these  acts,  unrestrained  by  the  United  States  government, 
were  the  exciting  causes  of  the  jealousy,  irritation,  and  ulti 
mate  hostility  of  the  Indians.  In  1829,  the  United  States  put 
up  to  public  sale,  and  it  was  sold,  a  portion  of  the  Sac  village, 
which  was  bought  by  an  Indian  trader.  Black-Hawk,  the  Sac 
chief,  became  irritated,  but  was  advised,  that  if  the  Indians 
had  not  sold  the  lands,  and  would  remain  quiet,  they  would  be 


BLACK-HAWK    WAR.  65 

undisturbed.  On  the  idea  that  the  Indians  had  not  sold  their 
village,  he  determined  to  remain. 

In  the  spring  of  1831  the  Indian  squaws  had  planted  their 
corn  as  usual,  when  it  was  ploughed  up  by  the  whites,  and  the 
trespasses  against  the  Indians  continued.  Black-Hawk  then  gave 
notice  to  the  whites,  that  they  must  remove  from  his  village. 
On  the  19th  of  May,  1831,  a  memorial  was  presented  to  the 
governor  of  Illinois,  by  eight  of  the  settlers,  representing  that 
the  Indians  had  threatened  them,  and  were  committing  de 
predations  on  the  whites.  On  the  26th  of  May,  the  governor 
of  Illinois  writes,  that  he  had  called  out  seven  hundred  mili 
tia  to  remove  a  band  of  Sac  Indians.  On  the  28th  of  May,  he 
writes  the  same  to  General  Gaines.  On  the  29th  of  May, 
Gaines  replies  that  he  had  ordered  six  companies  of  the  United 
States  troops  from  Jefferson  Barracks  to  Rock  Island,  and  four 
other  companies  from  Prairie  du  Chien,  the  object  of  which 
was  to  repel  invasion  and  secure  the  frontier.  On  the  30th  of 
May,  the  United  States  troops  reached  Fort  Armstrong.  A 
conference  held  with  the  Indian  chiefs  there  proved  unavailing. 
General  Gaines  then  called  on  the  governor  of  Illinois  for  an 
additional  force,  and  on  the  25th  of  June,  Governor  Reynolds 
and  General  Joseph  Duncan,  with  1600  mounted  militiamen, 
reached  Rock  River.  On  the  morning  of  the  26th  General 
Gaines  took  possession  of  the  Sac  village,  without  firing  a  gun 
or  meeting  an  Indian.  The  Indian  party  had  crossed  the 
Mississippi,  with  their  women  and  children,  the  night  previous. 

On  the  30th  of  June,  General  Gaines  and  Governor  Rey 
nolds  concluded  a  treaty  of  capitulation,  by  which  this  band  of 
the  Sacs  agreed  to  live  west  of  the  Mississippi. 

In  April,  1832,  Black-Hawk's  band,  in  violation  of  this 
treaty,  recrossed  to  the  east  side  of  the  Mississippi,  for  the  pur 
pose,  as  they  said,  of  joining  the  Winnebagoes  above,  and 
raising  a  crop  of  corn  and  beans  with  them.  General  Atkin 
son,  then  in  command  of  the  United  States  troops  at  Fort  Arm 
strong,  twice  by  express,  informed  Black-Hawk,  that  if  he  did 
not  return  peaceably  he  would  be  forced  back.  The  Indians 
refused  to  be  driven  back,  and  at  the  same  time  determined 
not  to  make  the  first  attack. 


66  LIFE  OF  GENERAL  SCOTT. 

Black-Hawk,  finding  that  the  tribes  of  the  Northwest  would 
not  join  his  standard,  had  resolved  to  recross  the  Mississippi. 
They  were  encamped  at  Kish-wa-cokee,  when  the  event  oc 
curred  which  brought  the  opposing  forces  into  actual  conflict. 
The  Illinois  mounted  militia  had  proceeded  to  Dixon's  Ferry, 
a  point  on  Rock  River  half  way  between  Rock  Island  and  the 
Indian  encampment.  From  this  point  Major  Stillman,  with 
about  two  hundred  and  seventy-five  mounted  volunteers,  pro 
ceeded  on  a  scouting  expedition  to  Sycamore  Creek,  thirty 
miles  further  up  the  river.  Hearing  that  these  men  were  ap 
proaching,  Black-Hawk  sent  three  young  men  to  meet  them 
with  a  white  flag.  These  young  men  were  met  by  the  whites, 
and  one  of  them  taken  prisoner  and  killed.  Of  a  party  of  five 
Indians  who  followed  the  former  one,  with  pacific  intentions, 
two  were  also  killed.  The  volunteers  pursued  till  the  whole 
force  had  crossed  Sycamore  Creek.  Here,  on  the  14th  of 
May,  they  met  the  warriors  of  Black-Hawk  advancing  to 
avenge  their  companions,  were  thrown  into  confusion,  recross- 
ed  the  creek,  and  after  the  loss  of  twelve  killed,  were  totally 
routed. 

The  Indian  success  in  this  engagement  encouraged  them, 
while  it  alarmed  the  people  of  Illinois.  On  the  15th  of  May, 
Governor  Reynolds  issued  his  proclamation,  calling  out  two 
thousand  more  militia,  to  meet  at  Hennepin  on  the  10th  of 
June. 

From  this  time,  during  three  months,  a  succession  of  actions 
took  place  between  the  whites  and  the  Indians,  with  various 
success.  The  banks  of  the  beautiful  Rock  River,  of  the  Wis 
consin,  and  even  of  the  Mississippi,  were  stained  with  the  blood 
of  the  red  and  the  white  man.  Women  and  children  were  not 
spared,  and  more  than  one  Indian  squaw  fell  in  battle.  It  is 
related,  that  at  one  place  a  ball  broke  the  arm  of  a  little  child 
clinging  to  its  mother's  breast,  and  pierced  her  heart ;  while 
the  child,  taken  up  by  a  kind  American  officer,  was  healed 
and  lived !  Starvation  as  well  as  war  pursued  the  broken  and 
flying  Indians,  whose  place  of  refuge  on  the  Wisconsin  had 
been  discovered,  and  they  driven  from  it.  A  portion  of  them, 
including  a  number  of  women  and  children,  attempted  to  go 


BLACK-HAWK    WAR.  67 

down  the   Mississippi,  but  they  were  overtaken,  and  most  of 
them  captured  or  killed. 

The  main  body,  under  Black-Hawk,  directed  their  course  to 
the  Mississippi,  near  the  mouth  of  the  Iowa  River.  Here  they 
were  overtaken,  on  the  banks  of  the  Mississippi,  by  General 
Atkinson,  with  an  army  of  regulars  and  militia.  They  were 


The  dead  Indian  mother  and  her  child. 

defeated  and  dispersed  in  the  battle  called  Bad  Axe,  with  the 
loss  of  many  killed  and  prisoners.  Black-Hawk  himself 
escaped,  but  was  soon  after  taken  and  delivered  up,  on  the  27th 
of  August,  to  General  Street  the  Indian  agent,  by  an  act  of 
treachery  on  the  pan  of  two  of  his  followers. 

Thus  terminated  what  is  called  the  BLACK-HAWK  WAR,  up 
on  which  various  opinions  have  been  expressed,  but  of  which 
the  results  were  what  they  invariably  have  been  in  all  contests 
between  the  Indians  and  the  whites.  The  Indians  were  dis 
possessed,  of  their  lands.  They  retreated  yet  further  towards 
the  setting  sun,  leaving  th«  blood  of  warriors  and  the  tears  of- 


gg  LIFE    OF    GENERAL    SCOTT. 

women  to  water  the  grass  which  grew  upon  the  graves  of  their 
ancestors.  The  whites  occupy  their  ancient  fields,  dig  up 
with  inquisitive  hands  the  bones  of  the  dead,  replant  the  soil 
with  the  rich  and  verdant  maize,  build  among  them  other,  more 
beautiful,  and  far  more  magnificent  towns  j  build  other  tombs, 
and  bury  other  dead ;  point  their  spires,  like  their  hopes,  to 
the  blue  summits  of  the  skies,  and  fill  the  circled  earth  with 
the  resounding  fame  of  arts  and  arms  ! 

In  the  beginning  of  July,  1832,  Scott  embarked  at  Buffalo, 
with  a  body  of  nearly  one  thousand  troops,  in  four  steamboats, 
for  Chicago.  The  purpose  was  to  reach  Illinois  as  speedily  as 
possible,  and  there  co-operate  with  the  United  States  forces 
under  General  Atkinson,  and  the  Illinois  mounted  militia,  in 
the  campaign  against  the  Indians.  This  purpose  was  counter 
acted  by  one  of  those  sudden,  severe,  and  solemn  dispensations 
of  Providence,  which  arrests  the  best-concerted  schemes,  startles 
the  strongest  intellect,  admonishes  man  of  his  weakness,  and 
demonstrates,  in  wonderful  ways,  the  power  of  God  ! 

The  ASIATIC  CHOLERA  was  this  dispensation.  A  native  of 
oriental  countries,  it  was  long  supposed  to  be  confined  to 
Hindostan  and  the  neighboring  regions.  But  in  1831,  it  spon 
taneously,  and  without  any  observed  cause,  burst  from  its 
former  limits,  and,  like  an  avalanche,  fell  with  fearful  force 
upon  Northern  Europe.  Crossing  from  Asia  into  Russia,  it 
was  stopped  neither  by  lines  of  latitude,  nor  by  the  cold  snows 
of  Scandinavia.  It  entered  Moscow,  proceeded  to  St.  Peters 
burg,  ravaged  Hungary,  and  visited  nearly  all  the  populous 
and  renowned  cities  of  Germany.  Before  it  reached  either 
England  or  France,  two  hundred  thousand  persons  had  already 
been  slain ! 

Over  rivers  and  over  lakes,  over  prairies  and  over  forests,  it 
•wept  with  silent  but  fatal  force.  It  crept  along  the  low  banks 
of  streams,  and  it  ascended  with  the  morning  mists  the  moun 
tain  side.  In  the  throngs  of  populous  cities,  and  in  the  solitude 
of  thick  woods,  it  was  still  the  same.  It  struck  with  the  same 
unrelenting  hand  the  rosy  cheek  of  childhood,  and  the  hoary 
locks  of  age.  The  human  race  stood  before  it,  like  the  forest 
trees  or  orchard's  fruit  before  the  whirlwind ;  the  storm  comes, 


ASIATIC    CHOLERA.  69 

and  the  trees  fall,  the  limbs  break,  the  shrubs  bend,  the  fruit  is 
scattered  :  the  storra  is  passed,  and  the  remaining  trees  stand 
surrounded  by  broken  trunks  and  by  fallen  branches ! 

Such  was  the  precise  effect  of  the  cholera  of  1832,  in  the 
United  States.  No  history  can  exaggerate  the  suddenness,  the 
terror,  or  the  irresistible  force  of  its  approach.  Many,  who 
might  be  expected  to  fall  first,  escaped,  while  many  of  the 
bravest  died  even  from  fear. 

This  was  the  enemy,  the  conqueror  of  conquerors,  which  at 
tacked  Scott's  expedition  up  the  lakes,  and  soon  destroyed  all 
its  power  or  utility  as  a  military  corps. 

The  Asiatic  cholera,  brought  over  the  ocean  in  an  emigrant 
ship,  landed  at  Quebec  in  the  beginning  of  June,  1832.  Thence 
it  proceeded  immediately  to  Montreal,  and  thence  up  the  St. 
Lawrence  and  the  lakes  with  great  rapidity. 

Scott  had,  as  we  have  said,  embarked  at  Buffalo  for  Chicago, 
in  the  beginning  of  July,  with  nearly  a  thousand  men,  in  four 
steamboats.  On  the  8th  of  July,  while  on  the  bosom  of  the 
lake,  the  cholera  broke  out  among  the  troops  with  great  fa 
tality. 

The  facts  attending  the  presence  of  this  plague  among  the 
troops  of  the  northwest  have  been  carefully  recorded  by  the 
journals  of  the  country,  and  they  will  illustrate,  as  forcibly  as 
any  which  can  be  produced,  its  fatal  nature. 

General  Scott,  his  staff,  and  about  two  hundred  and  twenty 
men,  embarked  in  the  steamboat  Sheldon  Thompson,  in  which, 
on  the  8th  of  July,  the  cholera  broke  out.  The  boat  arrived 
on  the  10th  inst.,  in  the  night,  at  Chicago,  and  in  a  short  time 
left  there.  In  these  half  dozen  days,  out  of  two  hundred  and 
twenty  men,  one  officer  and  fifty-one  men  died,  and  eighty 
were  left  sick  at  Chicago. 

In  the  steamboat  Henry  Clay  embarked  Col.  Twiggs,  with 
three  companies  of  artillery,  and  two  or  three  of  infantry. 

The  fate  of  these  was  even  worse  than  that  of  those  in  the 
Sheldon.  Even  a  greater  mortality  in  proportion  was  ex 
perienced,  and  several  of  the  most  promising  officers  perished. 
The  troops  were  landed  near  Fort  Gratiot,  at  the  lower  end  of 
Lake  Huron,  in  the  neighborhood  of  which  they  in  a  few  days 


70  LIFE  OF  GENERAL  SCOTT. 

met  with  most  extraordinary  sufferings.  We  have  before  us 
two  accounts  of  the  scenes  there,  and  both,.authentic  statements 
of  actual  witnesses. 

One  is  written  to  the  Journal  of  Commerce,  apparently  by  an 
oificer.  It  says,  July  10 — 

"  Our  detachment,  which  consisted  of  about  four  hundred, 
has  dwindled  down  to  about  one  hundred  and  fifty,  by  pestilence 
and  desertion. 

"The  dead  bodies  of  the  deserters  are  literally  strewed 
along  the  road  between  here  and  Detroit.  No  one  dares  give 
them  relief,  not  even  a  cup  of  water.  A  person  on  his  way 
from  Detroit  here,  passed  six  lying  groaning  with  the  agonies 
of  the  cholera,  under  one  tree,  and  saw  one  corpse,  by  the 
road-side,  half  eaten  up  by  the  hogs !" 

Mr.  Norvell,  of  Detroit,  writes  thus  to  the  editor  of  the 
Philadelphia  Enquirer. 

"  These  troops,  you  will  recollect,  landed  from  the  steam 
boat  Henry  Clay,  below  Fort  Gratiot.  A  great  number  of 
them  have  been  swept  off  by  the  disease.  Nearly  all  the 
others  have  deserted.  Of  the  deserters  scattered  all  over  the 
country,  some  have  died  in  the  woods,  and  their  bodies  have 
been  devoured  by  the  wolves.  I  use  the  language  of  a,  gallant 
young  officer.  Others  have  taken  their  flight  to  the  world  of 
spirits,  without  a  companion  to  close  their  eyes,  or  console  the 
last  moments  of  their  existence.  Their  straggling  survivors  are 
occasionally  seen  marching,  some  of  them  know  not  whither, 
with  their  knapsacks  on  their  backs,  shunned  by  the  terrified 
inhabitants  as  the  source  of  a  mortal  pestilence." 

At  Chicago,  as  before  and  after,  General  Scott  exposed  him 
self,  though  ill,  by  attending  every  officer  and  soldier  taken 
sick.  His  conduct,  in  the  continual  care  and  effort  for  those 
under  his  charge,  has  been  testified  to  by  numbers  of  witnesses, 
themselves  actors  and  observers  in  these  scenes. 

Of  the  nine  hundred  and  fifty  men  who  left  Buffalo,  the 
number  was  in  a  short  time  so  reduced,  that  no  more  than  four 
hundred  were  left.  Scott  was  detained  by  these  melancholy 
occurrences,  for  several  days,  at  Chicago.  As  soon  as  he  was 
released,  he  left  Colonel  Eustis  to  follow  with  his  reduced  com- 


ASIATIC    CHOLERA. 


71 


mand,  and  hastened  across  the  prairies  to  join  General  Atkin 
son  on  the  Mississippi.  He  found  him  at  Prairie  du  Chien,  on 
the  3d  of  August,  the  day  after  the  battle  of  Bad  Axe. 


Soldier  dying  with  the  Cholera. 

The  fugitive  Indians  were  soon  brought  in  prisoners,  both 
with  the  remainder  of  the  Sac  and  Fox  confederacy,  which  had 
remained  rn  a  state  of  doubtful  neutrality,  and  with  the  Win- 
nebago  nation,  which  had  covertly  given  aid  to  Black-Hawk's 
band. 

In  the  mean  while,  about  the  middle  of  August,  the  cholera 
broke  out  among  the  regulars  of  Atkinson's  army,  at  Rock 
Island,  whither  Scott  had  descended  from  Fort  Crawford,  Prai 
rie  du  Chien. 

Here  Scott  was  called  upon  to  exercise  his  wonted  kindness 
by  attendance  upon  the  sick  and  the  dying.  Night  and  day 


72  LIFE    OF    GENERAL    SCOTT. 

he  visited  and  comforted  them,  himself  always,  when  near  it, 
laboring  under  some  of  the  symptoms  of  the  disease.  Feeble 
in  body,  he  was  yet  almost  constantly  in  attendance  on  the 
afflicted.  Great  were  his  efforts  to  prevent  the  spread  of  the 
disease,  and  to  overcome  the  symptoms  of  panic,  scarcely  less 
to  be  dreaded  than  the  original  calamity,  which  from  time  to 
time  were  exhibited.  The  mortality  -was  appalling,  but  at 
length,  on  the  8th  of  September,  the  infection  disappeared. 

To  Scott's  humane  and  generous  conduct,  throughout  this 
terrible  battle  with  pestilence,  both  at  Rock-Island  and  on  the 
Lakes,  we  have  the  testimony  of  one  who  was  an  eye-witness, 
and  whose  situation  made  him  in  all  respects  disinterested. 
We  shall  quote  his  own  words — a  language  as  reliable  as  that 
of  official  documents.  He  says  that  "  the  general's  course  of 
conduct  on  that  occasion  should  establish  for  him  a  reputation 
not  inferior  to  that  which  he  has  earned  in  the  battle-field  ;  and 
should  exhibit  him  not  only  as  a  warrior,  but  as  a  man — not 
only  as  the  hero  of  battles,  but  as  the  hero  of  humanity.  It  ia 
well  known  that  the  troops  in  that  service  suffered  severely 
from  the  cholera,  a  disease  frightful  enough  from  its  rapid  and 
fatal  effects,  but  which  came  among  us  the  more  so,  from  the 
known  inexperience  of  our  medical  men,  and  from  the  general 
belief,  at  that  time,  in  its  contagiousness.  Under  such  circum 
stances  it  was  clearly  the  general's  duty  to  give  the  best  gen 
eral  directions  he  could  for  proper  attendance  on  the  sick,  and 
for  preventing  the  spread  of  the  disease.  When  he  had  done 
this,  his  duty  was  performed,  and  he  might  have  left  the  rest 
to  his  medical  officers.  But  such  was  not  his  course.  HP 
thought  he  had  other  duties  to  perform,  that  his  personal  safety 
must  be  disregarded  to  visit  the  sick,  to  cheer  the  well,  to  en 
courage  the  attendants,  to  set  an  example  to  all,  and  to  prevent 
a  panic — in  a  word,  to  save  the  lives  of  others  at  the  risk  of 
his  own.  All  this  he  did  faithfully,  and  when  he  could  have 
had  no  other  motive  than  that  of  doing  good.  Here  was  no 
glory  to  be  acquired ;  here  were  none  of  the  excitements  of  the 
battle-field  ;  here  was  no  shame  to  be  avoided,  or  disgrace  to 
be  feared  ;  because  his  general  arrangements  and  directions  to 
those  whose  part  it  was  to  battle  with  sickness,  had  satisfied 


74  LIFE    OF    GENERAL    SCOTT. 

duty.  His  conduct  then  exhibited  a  trait  in  his  charactei 
which  made  a  strong  impression  on  me,  and  which,  in  my 
opinion,  justice  requires  should  not  be  overlooked." 

This  is  the  language  of  a  calm  and  impartial  observer,  an 
intelligent  officer  of  the  army.  It  proves  that  the  laurels  of 
Niagara  had  bloomed  again  on  {he  banks  of  the  Mississippi, 
but  no  longer  with  crimson  flowers.  They  now  appear  in 
those  soft  and  lovely  hues  which  make  them  kindred  with  the 
kindest  and  gentlest  of  human  emotions. 

Near  the  middle  of  September,  the  cholera  having  subsided, 
the  negotiations  commenced  with  the  Indian  tribes,  for  the  final 
settlement  of  difficulties.  The  scene  of  negotiation  was  Rock 
Island.  The  commissioners  on  the  part  of  the  United  States 
were  General  Scott  and  Governor  Reynolds.  There,  for  sev 
eral  weeks,  they  received  and  entertained  parties  of  the  SACS 
FOXES,  WINNEBAGOES,  Sioux,  and  MENOMONIES — all  warlike.* 
nations,  and  often  at  war  with  one  another.  They  now  ap 
peared — constrained  into  peace  or  neutrality  by  the  presence 
of  well-disciplined  battalions — mingling  together  in  the  wild 
and  martial  costume  of  their  race. 

When  the  chiefs  and  warriors  of  the  confederacy  on  ex 
traordinary  occasions  approached  head-quarters,  it  was  always 
with  the  loud  tramp  and  shout,  which  seemed  to  be  rather  the 
clangor  of  war  than  the  forms  of  ceremony.  When  a  council 
was  to  meet,  they  came  at  a  furious  charge ;  suddenly  dis 
mounted,  arranged  themselves  in  order,  and  then,  between 
lines  of  soldiers,  entered  the  pavilion  with  the  firmness  of 
victors,  but  with  all  the  deep  solemnity  of  a  funeral.  Arrayed 
in  scarlet  hues,  their  national  color,  sometimes  on  foot  and 
sometimes  mounted,  nothing  could  be  more  striking  than  the 
fine  figures,  arms,  and  costume  of  the  men.  Their  wives  and 
daughters,  too,  were  better  looking,  better  clothed  and  orna 
mented,  than  other  Indian  women,  and  generally  sustained  the 
reputation  of  virtue  and  modesty. 

Of  these  tribes,  the  SACS  and  FOXES,  kindred  and  confederate 
clans,  were  the  dandies  and  sometimes  the  Mamelukes  of  the 
forest.  Though  not  very  numerous,  they  are  the  first  in  war, 
the  first  in  the  chase,  and  the  first  in  all  that  constitutes  Indian 


76  LIFE    OF    GENERAL    SCOTT. 

wealth — cattle,  horses,  and  clothing.  Among  these  there  was 
a  master  spirit,  the  celebrated  KE-O-KUCK,  a  Sac,  then  in  the 
prime  of  life,  tall,  robust,  manly,  and  who  excelled  all  the  sur 
rounding  red-men  in  wisdom  and  eloquence  in  council,  in  the 
majestic  graces  of  the  Indian  dance,  and  in  bold  adventure 
against  the  buffalo,  the  bear,  and  the  hostile  Sioux  and  Meno- 
mine.  Yet  this  person  was  not  by  birth  a  chief,  and  therefore 
held  no  hereditary  power.  He  rose  to  be  head  man  of  the  na 
tion  simply  by  his  superior  abilities.  Becoming  jealous  of  him, 
however,  the  tribe  at  one  time  deposed  him.  From  this  degra 
dation,  which  he  bore  with  great  patience  and  equanimity,  he 
was  not  altogether  restored  at  the  time  of  the  treaty  of  Rock- 
Island.  He  was  at  that  time  a  kind  of  treasurer  and  keeper 
of  the  records  for  the  nation.  In  consequence  of  his  great 
merit  and  talent,  General  Scott  prevailed  upon  the  principal 
persons  of  the  nation  again  to  elevate  him  to  the  chieftaincy, 
from  which  he  has  not  been  again  removed.  - 

The  scenes  exhibited  during  these  conferences,  were  of  the 
deepest  interest  and  the  most  picturesque  kind.  They  were 
adapted  rather  to  the  pencil  of  a  poet  or  a  painter  thdn  to  the 
grave  records  of  history.  The  wild  son  of  nature,  scarcely  more 
barbarous  than  those  old  Greek  warriors  whose  names  the 
song  of  Homer  has  borne  from  age  to  age  on  the  wings  of 
fame,  here  confronted  the  man  of  art  and  civilization,  face  to 
face,  in  warlike  array,  and  in  peaceful  amusement.  The 
song,  the  dance,  the  chase,  the  rolling  drum  and  the  whoop 
ing  shout,  the  white  soldier  and  the  tawny  maiden,  were 
mingled  together  in  this  conference  between  the  retreating 
representatives  of  barbarism  and  the  advancing  children  of  im 
provement. 

In  the  afternoons  the  scene  was  frequently  enlivened  by  In- 
dian  dances  at  head-quarters.  These  dances  are  generally 
pantomimes,  remarkably  descriptive  of  the  achievements, 
events,  and  history  of  the  individual  or  the  tribe.  They  are 
exhibited  by  a  large  number  of  young  warriors  at  the  same 
time,  to  the  music  of  rude  instruments,  and  accompanied  by 
occasional  whoopings.  The  dancers  are  strictly  attentive  to 
time  and  order,  rendering  their  voices  accordant  %  the  modu- 


78  LIFE  OF  GENERAL  SCOTT. 

lation  of  the  hand.  The  figures  are  principally,  the  war, 
buffalo,  and  corn  dances. 

The  Sac  chief  Ke-o-kuck  executed  a  pas  seul,  presenting  a 
spirited  account  of  a  war  expedition,  which  he  had  himself 
conducted  against  the  Sioux.  The  spectator  having  only  a 
slight  intimation  of  the  subject,  had  yet  presented  distinctly  to 
his  mind  the  whole  sfory  in  its  vivid  details.  He  saw  the  dis 
tance  overcome,  the  mountains  and  streams  passed,  the  scouts 
of  the  enemy  slain,  the  crooked,  stealthy  approach,  the  ambush 
laid,  the  terrible  whoop  and  onslaught,  and  the  victory  which 
followed  as  the  crowning  triumph  of  the  warrior. 

Sometimes  these  Indian  dances  were  followed  by  cotillions, 
to  the  music  of  a  military  band,  in  which  the  American  officers 
mixed,  as  partners  and  instructors  of  the  Indians.  The  Indian 
ladies  were  too  modest  to  engage  in  these  amusements,  but 
graced  the  scene  with  their  presence,  and  testified  their  en 
joyment  by  cheers  and  laughter.  Meanwhile,  a  guard  of 
grenadiers  looked  on  with  quiet  delight — martial  music  sent 
forth  its  melody,  fireworks  sent  up  their  red  light  and  gleamed 
against  the  evening  sky,  shells  and  rockets  burst  in  the  air, 
the  distant  hills  returned  the  echo,  and  these  were  mingled 
with  the  shrill  shrieks  of  Indian  applause.  Refreshments  were 
handed  round  nearly  in  the  manner  of  our  cities.  Thus  the 
white  and  the  red  man,  the  son  of  the  forest  and  the  pupil  of 
cities,  the  aboriginal  and  the  Anglo-Saxon,  were  mingled  to 
gether  in  social  amusements  with  strong  and  singular  con 
trast. 

The  conferences  and  treaty  which  followed  were  of  high 
importance,  both  to  the  Indians  and  the  United  States.  Gov 
ernor  Reynolds  being  an  eminent  lawyer  and  a  high  political 
functionary,  was  requested  to  take  the  lead  in  the  councils. 
He,  however,  declining,  it  devolved  on  General  Scott  to  con 
duct  the  discussions.  His  speeches,  and  those  of  the  Indian 
orators  were  ably  and  promptly  interpreted  and  taken  down  at 
the  time,  by  the  secretary  to  the  commissioners,  the  late  tal 
ented  and  accomplished  Captain  Richard  Bache,  of  the  army. 
By  him  they  were  deposited  in  the  archives  of  the  war  depart  - 
ment. 


NEGOTIATIONS    WITH    THE    INDIANS.  79 

The  interviews  with  the  deputations  of  the  Sioux  and  Meno- 
monies  were  interesting,  although  merely  incidental  to  the  war, 
which  was  now  about  to  be  terminated.  But  with  the  con 
federacy  to  which  Black-Hawk  belonged,  as  also  with  the 
Winnebagoes,  their  accomplices,  the  negotiations  and  their 
results  were  at  once  grave  and  important.  Scott  opened  the 
council  with  a  speech  to  the  Sacs  and  Foxes.  He  paid  a  just 
compliment  to  Ke-o-kuck  and  certain  other  chiefs,  for  their 
prudence  and  patriotism  in  preventing  the  larger  body  of  their 
people  from  rushing  into  a  war,  which  Black-Hawk  madly 
expected,  with  twelve  hundred  warriors,  to  carry  to  the  shores 
of  the  lakes  and  the  Ohio !  He  adverted  to  the  fact,  that  the 
Mississippi  was  passed  and  the  invasion  commenced,  without 
it  being  known  to  the  government  or  people  of  the  United  States, 
that  any  serious  cause  of  complaint  existed  on  the  part  of  their 
red  brethren.  He  declaimed  against  the  crime  of  violating  a 
solemn  treaty  of  friendship,  such  as  had  long  existed  between 
the  parties  ;  against  the  murders  and  desolations  committed 
upon  defenceless  and  unoffending  settlers.  He  complimented 
Brigadier-General  Atkinson  and  his  troops  on  their  vigorous 
pursuit  and  final  defeat  of  the  lawless  invaders ;  recalled  the 
pains  which  had  been  taken  for  weeks  after  the  battle,  to  hunt 
up  the  wounded,  the  women  and  children,  to  save  them  from 
imminent  starvation ;  and  the  extraordinary  care,  seen  and  ad 
mired  by  all,  which  had  been  bestowed  on  those  pitiable  cap 
tives.  He  contrasted  these  acts  of  humanity  with  the  cruelties 
perpetrated  on  the  other  side ;  and  took  care  that  the  great 
superiority  of  Christianity  and  civilization  should  be  perceived 
and  felt  by  all  who  heard  him. 

He  next  turned  to  the  question  of  settlement,  under  the  in- 
structions  received  by  the  commissioners,  stated  the  cost  of  the 
war  to  the  United  States  to  be  more  than  a  million  of  dollars ; 
and  claimed  the  right  of  holding,  without  further  price,  any 
reasonable  portion  of  the  enemy's  country,  then  in  the  power 
of  the  conquerors ;  and  after  laying  down  the  principle  of  in- 
demnity  in  its  utmost  rigor,  he  concluded — "  But,  as  the  great 
God  above,  alike  the  Father  of  the  white  and  red  man,  often 
deals  mildly  with  his  children,  even  when  they  have  grossly 


80  LIFE    OF    GENERAL    SCOTT. 

sinned  against  his  holy  law  and  their  own  best  interests,  so 
would  the  people  of  the  United  States,  in  the  fulness  of  their 
power,  imitate  the  Divine  example,  and  temper  justice  with 
mercy,  in  dealing  with  their  feeble  brethren  of  the  forest." 

These  discussions  finally  ended  in  the  consummation  of 
treaties  with  these  tribes,  which  secured  to  the  United  States 
immensely  valuable  tracts  of  land,  while  it  also  secured  to  the 
Indians  peace  and  protection. 

In  his  transactions  with  several  tribes  of  Indians,  Scott  had 
the  good  fortune  to  be  regarded  by  them  as  a  friend  and  a 
brother.  He  has  since,  in  the  East,  been  visited  by  both  Ke- 
o-kuck  and  Black-Hawk ;  and  more  recently,  (in  1839,)  has 
been  most  kindly  received  by  the  Winnebagoes,  at  their  own 
homes  in  Wisconsin. 

In  allusion  to  these  transactions  with  the  Indians,  and  to  his 
generous  services  in  ameliorating  the  horrors  and  sufferings 
produced  by  the  cholera,  the  Secretary  of  War,  General  Cass, 
said,  in  reply  to  Scott's  final  report : — 

"  Allow  me  to  congratulate  you,  sir,  upon  this  fortunate  con 
summation  of  your  arduous  duties,  and  to  express  my  entire 
approbation  of  the  whole  course  of  your  proceedings,  during  a 
series  of  difficulties  requiring  higher  moral  courage  than  the 
operations  of  an  active  campaign,  under  ordinary  circumstan 
ces." 

The  assertion  of  the  secretary  was  entirely  correct ;  for 
there  have  not  been  wanting  those  who  had  defied,  in  the  high 
hope  of  glory,  all  the  death-dealing  agents  of  the  bloody  battle  : 
and  yet,  as  if  terror-stricken  by  some  invisible  power,  have 
quietly  sunk  under  the  fears  of  pestilence.  Those  who  knew 
best,  have  testified  in  this  as  in  other  actions,  not  only  to  the 
moral  courage,  but  to  that  invaluable  trait  of  character,  a  sa 
gacious  presence  of  mind,  in  General  Scott,  which  has  borne 
him  successfully  through  all  the  varied  scenes  of  danger,  of 
enterprise,  and  of  high  intellectual  demand,  either  moral  or 
physical,  into  which  his  active  life  has  led  him. 


NULLIFICATION    IN    SOUTH    CAROLINA.  81 


GENERAL     SCOTT'S     AGENCY.  IN     SUPPRESSING    NULLIFICATION    IN 
SOUTH    CAROLINA. 

GENERAL  SCOTT  had  scarcely  returned  from  the  scenes  of 
Indian  wars  and  Indian  treaties  in  the  West,  when  he  was 
called  to  mingle  in  others  on  the  Southern  border,  which 
threatened  far  more  danger  to  the  peace  and  safety  of  the 
American  Union.  He  arrived  at  New  York  in  October,  1832,, 
and  had  been  with  his  family  but  a  day  or  two,  when  he  was 
ordered  to  Washington  to  receive  a  new  mission  and  a  new 
trust.  After  a  conference  with  the  president  and  cabinet,  on 
the  difficulties  which  had  arisen  in  South  Carolina,  he  was 
dispatched  in  that  direction  on  a  business  of  the  greatest  deli 
cacy  and  importance,  and  with  powers  requiring  the  exercise 
of  the  highest  discretion. 

This  difficulty  was  the  attempt  to  nullify  the  revenue  laws 
of  the  United  States,  by  the  action  of  a  single  state,  South  Caro 
lina.  This  theory,  and  the  events  which  followed  its  assertion 
in  that  state,  are  commonly  called  "  nullification."  It  is  un 
necessary  here  to  discuss  any  of  the  opinions  held  by  various 
men  and  parties  in  the  questions  connected  with  a  tariff  of  rev 
enue  duties,  or  with  the  reserved  rights  of  the  states.  It  is 
necessary,  however,  to  give  the  reader  a  candid  statement  of 
the  facts  and  events  in  this  singular  portion  of  American  his 
tory,  in  order  that  the  precise  situation  of  the  country,  when 
General  Scott  arrived  at  Charleston,  its  internal  dangers,  and 
the  part  he  had  in  quieting  those  difficulties,  may  be  fairly 
understood.  In  this,  there  is  no  need  of  inquiring  into  motives, 
and  little  chance  of  error ;  for  the  parts  of  the  several  actors 
were  performed  in  public,  recorded  by  the  public  press,  and 
sent  upon  the  winds  by  the  voices  of  a  thousand  witnesses.  It 
was  not  so,  however,  with  the  part  of  General  Scott ;  for  his 
duties  were  confidential.  They  were  required  to  be  performed 
with  silence  and  delicacy.  Hence,  however  much  might  de 
pend  upon  his  discretion,  the  mere  fact  of  its  exercise  afforded 
little  that  was  tangible  and  expressive  to  the  pen  of  history. 
Yet  we  shall  see,  that  his  position  and  conduct  there  exercised 

4* 


82  LIFE    OP    GENERAL    SCOTT. 

a  controlling  influence  over  the  event,  and  contributed  mainly 
to  the  peaceful  termination  of  the  controversy. 

The  excitement  which  terminated  in  what  was  called  "  nul 
lification,"  commenced  in  consequence  of  the  passage  of  the 
tariff  act  of  1828.  That  act  raised  the  revenue  duties  levied 
on  the  importation  of  foreign  goods  higher  than  any  previous 
revenue  act  of  the  United  States.  It  was  passed  avowedly  for 
the  protection  of  American  industry.  It  was  resisted  by  nearly 
all  the  representatives  of  the  cotton-planting  states,  on  the 
ground  that  it  was  injurious  to  their  interests  and  contrary  to 
the  Constitution  of  the  United  States.  They  argued,  that  the 
greater  the  duties,  the  less  the  importations ;  and  that  the  less 
the  importations,  the  less  would  be  the  exportations ;  because 
foreign  nations  would  have  less  ability  to  purchase.  They 
deemed  it  unconstitutional,  because  they  said  it  was  unequal 
taxation. 

This  was  the  substance  of  the  argument  by  which  a  majority 
of  the  citizens  of  South  Carolina  arrived  at  a  belief,  that  the 
tariff  act  was  both  injurious  to  them,  and  unconstitutional.  On 
this  belief,  they  proceeded  to  resist  the  act  by  public  meetings 
and  inflammatory  resolves,  and  finally  to  advance  and  carry  out 
the  doctrines  of  nullification. 

The  tariff  act  of  1828  was  passed  on  the  15th  of  May  of  that 
year,  and  from  that  time  henceforward  for  more  than  four  years, 
a  continual  excitement  was  kept  up  in  the  extreme  southern 
states,  especially  South  Carolina  and  Georgia.  In  South  Caro 
lina,  however,  the  most  ultra  measures  were  proposed,  and 
there  the  question  was  brought  to  a  direct  issue,  and  bloodshed 
even,  only  averted  by  the  great  caution  of  the  public  officers, 
and  the  milder  temperament  of  Congress. 

The  following  address  to  the  people  of  South  Carolina,  ex 
hibits  the  temppT  of  the  public  mind  at  that  time. 

"  What  course  is  left  us  to  pursue  ?  If  we  have  the  com 
mon  pride  of  men,  or  the  determination  of  freemen,  we  must 
resist  the  imposition  of  this  tariff.  We  stand  committed.  To 
be  stationary  is  impossible.  We  must  either  retrograde  in  dis 
honor  and  in  shame,  and  receive  the  contempt  and  scorn  of  our 
brethren  superadded  to  our  wrongs,  and  their  system  of  op- 


NULLIFICATION    IN    SOUTH    CAROLINA.  83 

pression  strengthened  by  our  toleration ;  or  we  must  '  by  op 
posing,  end  them.' 

"  In  advising  an  attitude  of  open  resistance  to  the  laws  of  the 
Union,  we  deem  it  due  to  the  occasion,  and  that  we  may  not 
be  misunderstood,  distinctly  but  briefly  to  state,  without  argu 
ment,  our  constitutional  faith.  For  it  is  not  enough  that  im 
posts  laid  for  the  protection  of  domestic  manufactures  are 
oppressive,  and  transfer  in  their  operation  millions  of  our 
property  to  northern  capitalists.  If  we  have  given  our  bond, 
let  them  take  our  blood.  Those  who  resist  these  imposts  must 
deem  them  unconstitutional,  and  the  principle  is  abandoned  by 
the  payment  of  one  cent  as  much  as  ten  millions." 

Such  were  the  strains  by  which  South  Carolina  was  called 
to  believe  herself  deeply  injured,  her  feelings  outraged,  and 
her  rights  violated.  "But  how,"  says  the  orator,  "are  we  to 
interpose  for  the  purpose  of  arresting  the  progress  of  the  evil  ?" 
To  this  he  replies — "A  nullification,  then,  of  the  unauthorized 
act  is  the  rightful  remedy." 

Mr.  JOHN  C.  CALHOUN,  in  a  letter  dated  "  Fort  Hill,  30th 
of  July,  1832,"  declared  that  nullification  was  a  peaceful 
remedy,  and  necessary  to  the  preservation  of  other  powers. 

"  The  ungrounded  fear,"  said  he,  "  that  the  right  of  a  state 
to  interpose  in  order  to  protect  her  reserved  powers  against  the 
encroachments  of  the  general  government,  would  lead  to  dis 
union,  is  rapidly  vanishing,  and  as  it  disappears,  it  will  be 
seen  that  so  far  from  endangering,  the  right  is  essential  to  the 
preservation  of  our  system,  as  essential  as  the  right  of  suffrage 
itself. 

"  Thus  thinking,  I  have  entire  confidence  that  the  time  will 
come,  when  our  doctrine,  which  has  been  so  freely  denounced 
as  traitorous  and  rebellious,  will  be  hailed  as  being  the  great 
conservative  principle  of  our  admirable  system  of  government, 
and  when  those  who  have  so  firmly  maintained  it  under  so 
many  trials,  will  be  ranked  among  the  great  benefactors  of  the 
country." 

The  doctrine  of  "state  interposition"  against  the  general 
government,  is  here  defended  as  an  essential  right,  and  the 
future  approbation  of  the  people  confidently  expected. 


84  LIFE    OF    GENERAL    SCOTT. 

To  understand  the  exact  state  of  things  in  South  Carolina, 
at  that  time,  and  the  conflict  likely  to  ensue  between  the  ma- 
jority  in  the  state  supporting  nullification  by  the  state  power, 
and  the  general  government  executing  the  laws,  with  a  mi 
nority  in  South  Carolina  supporting  it,  we  must  review  two  or 
three  other  important  movements. 

The  doctrines  of  Mr.  McDuffie,  Major  Hamilton,  Mr.  Cal- 
houn,  and  other  leaders  of  the  nullification  party,  were  as 
strongly  opposed  by  other  distinguished  men  in  South  Carolina. 

JUDGE  SMITH,  formerly  United  States  Senator,  in  an  address 
to  the  people  of  Spartanburgh  district,  thus  writes — "  To  say 
you  can  resist  the  general  government,  and  remain  in  the 
Union,  and  be  at  peace,  is  a  perfect  delusion,  calculated  only 
to  hoodwink  an  honest  community,  until  they  shall  have  ad 
vanced  too  far  to  retrace  their  steps  ;  which  they  must  do,  and 
do  with  disgrace  and  humiliation,  or  enter  upon  a  bloody  con 
flict  with  the  general  government.  For  the  general  govern 
ment  cannot  bow  its  sovereignty  to  the  mandates  of  South 
Carolina,  while  the  Union  is  worth  preserving.  And  be  as 
sured,  it  will  not  bow  to  the  mandate  of  any  state,  while  the 
sovereign  people  believe  that  a  confederated  government  is 
calculated  to  promote  their  peace,  their  honor,  and  their  safety." 

It  is  seen  that  the  political  ideas  inculcated  in  the  extract 
last  quoted,  are  directly  opposed  to  those  stated  in  the  former 
extract  from  the  letter  of  Mr.  Calhoun.  The  latter  assumes 
the  supremacy  of  the  UNION,  the  former  that  of  the  STATE, 
under  the  name  of  state  interposition.  Hence,  in  the  contro 
versy  which  ensued,  the  party  of  the  majority  was  known 
as  the  nullification  party,  and  that  of  the  minority  as  the 
Union  party.  The  controversy  between  the  two  parties  in 
South  Carolina  was  even  more  excited  than  that  between  the 
state  and  the  general  government.  This  was  the  condition  of 
things  when,  in  October,  1832,  the  legislature  passed  an  act 
providing  for  the  "  calling  of  a  convention  of  the  people"  of 
that  state.  The  object  of  this  convention  in  the  terms  of  the 
act,  was  "  to  take  into  consideration  the  several  acts  of  the 
Congress  of  the  United  States,  imposing  duties  on  foreign  im 
ports  for  the  protection  of  domestic  manufactures,  or  for  other 


NULLIFICATION    IN    SOUTH    CAROLINA.  85 

unauthorized  objects ;  to  determine  on  the  character  thereof, 
and  to  devise  the  means  of  redress.''' 

The  convention  elected  according  to  this  statute,  assembled 
at  Columbia,  the  seat  of  government,  on  the  19th  of  November, 
1832.  The  convention  being  assembled,  enacted  an  "  ordi 
nance,"  whose  title  was  "  to  provide  for  arresting  the  operation 
of  certain  acts  of  the  Congress  of  the  United  States,  purporting 
to  be  taxes  laying  duties  and  imposts  on  the  importation  of  for 
eign  commodities." 

On  the  final  passage  of  the  ordinance  the  word  "  nullify" 
was  substituted  for  "  arresting." 

This  ordinance  assumed  to  nullify  the  laws  of  the  United 
States,  to  prevent  the  operation  of  the  courts,  and  finally,  to 
place  all  officers  under  oath  to  obey  only  the  ordinance,  and  the 
laws  made  to  give  it  effect. 

The  2d  section  pronounced  the  tariff  acts  of  1829  and  1832 
"  null,  void,  and  no  law,  nor  binding  upon  the  state,  its  officers, 
or  citizens." 

The  3d  section  declared  it  unlawful  "  for  any  of  the  consti 
tuted  authorities,  whether  of  the  state  or  the  United  States,  to 
enforce  payment  of  the  duties  imposed  by  said  acts,  within  the 
limits  of  the  state." 

The  4th  section  ordered  that  no  case  of  law  or  equity  deci 
ded  in  that  state,  wherein  was  drawn  in  question  the  validity 
of  that  ordinance,  or  of  any  act  of  the  legislature  passed  to  give 
it  effect,  should  be  appealed  to  the  supreme  court  of  the  United 
States,  or  regarded  if  appealed. 

Section  5th  required  that  every  one  who  held  an  office  of 
honor,  trust,  or  profit,  civil  or  military,  should  take  an  oath  to 
obey  only  this  ordinance,  and  the  laws'of  the  legislature  passed 
in  consequence  of  it. 

The  6th  section  declared,  that  if  the  general  government 
should  employ  force  to  carry  into  effect  its  laws,  or  endeavor 
to  coerce  the  state  by  shutting  up  its  ports,  that  South  Carolina 
would  consider  the  Union  dissolved,  and  would  "  proceed  to 
organize  a  separate  government." 

This  was  the  state  of  things  in  South  Carolina,  and  in  the 
Union,  when,  on  the  10th  of  December,  1832,  General  Jackson 


86  LIFE    OF    GENERAL    SCOTT. 

issued  his  PROCLAMATION,  exhorting  all  persons  to  obey  the 
laws,  denouncing  the  ordinance  of  South  Carolina,  and  giving 
a  very  clear  exposition  of  the  principles  and  powers  of  the  gen 
eral  government.  This  proclamation  was  written  with  great 
ability,  and  coming  from  the  most  popular  man  in  the  United 
States,  exercising  the  functions  of  chief  magistrate,  and  taking 
part  with  that  LOVE  OF  UNION  which,  in  all  times  and  all  cir 
cumstances,  has  been  an  element  in  American  character,  the 
proclamation  was  universally  read,  and  almost  universally  re 
ceived  with  approbation  and  applause.  The  legislature  of 
South  Carolina  answered  in  an  appeal  to  the  people  of  that 
state. 

Just  before  this  point  in  history,  General  Scott  had  been 
called,  in  the  exercise  of  his  military  functions,  to  perform  a 
part,  not  very  conspicuous  to  the  public  eye,  but  most  import 
ant  in  its  consequences  to  the  Union  and  the  future  welfare  of 
the  republic.  What  part  that  was  will  be  shown  by  the  unim 
peachable  testimony  of  authentic  facts. 

On  the  18th  of  November,  1832,  a  confidential  order  was 
issued  from  the  war  department  to  General  Scott.  The  order, 
after  expressing  the  President's  solicitude  as  to  affairs  in  South 
Carolina,  a  hope  from  the  intelligence  of  the  people,  and  a  fear 
lest  some  rash  attempt  should  be  made  against  the  forts  of  the 
United  States  in  the  harbor  of  Charleston,  proceeds  to  say  : — 

"  The  possibility  of  such  a  measure  furnishes  sufficient  rea 
son  for  guarding  against  it,  and  the  President  is  therefore  anx 
ious  that  the  situation  and  means  of  defence  of  these  fortifica 
tions,  should  be  inspected  by  an  officer  of  experience,  who 
could  also  estimate  and  provide  for  any  dangers  to  which  they 
may  be  exposed.  He  *has  full  confidence  in  your  judgment 
and  discretion,  and  it  is  his  wish  that  you  repair  immediately 
to  Charleston,  and  examine  every  thing  connected  with  the 
fortifications.  You  are  at  liberty  to  take  such  measures,  either 
by  strengthening  these  defences,  or  by  reinforcing  these  gar 
risons  with  troops  drawn  from  any  other  posts,  as  you  may 
think  prudence  and  a  just  precaution  require. 

"  Your  duty  will  be  one  of  great  importance,  and  of  great 
delicacy.  You  will  consult  fully  and  freely  with  the  collector 


NULLIFICATION    IN    SOUTH    CAROLINA.  87 

of  the  port  of  Charleston,  and  with  the  district  attorney  of  South 
Carolina,  and  you  will  take  no  step,  except  what  relates  to  the 
immediate  defence  and  security  of  the  posts,  without  their 
order  and  concurrence.  The  execution  of  the  laws  will  be 
enforced  through  the  civil  authority,  and  by  the  mode  pointed 
out  by  the  acts  of  Congress.  Should,  unfortunately,  a  crisis 
arise,  when  the  ordinary  power  in  the  hands  of  the  civil  officers 
shall  not  be  sufficient  for  this  purpose,  the  President  shall  de 
termine  the  course  to  be  taken  and  the  measures  adopted.  Till, 
therefore,  you  are  otherwise  instructed,  you  will  act  in  obedi 
ence  to  the  legal  requisitions  of  the  proper  civil  officers  of  the 
United  States. 

"  I  will  thank  you  to  communicate  to  me,  freely  and  con 
fidentially,  upon  every  topic  on  which  you  may  deem  it  im 
portant  for  the  government  to  receive  information. 
"  Very  respectfully, 

Your  obedient  servant, 

LEWIS  CASS." 
"  Major-General  Winfield  Scott." 

General  Scott  arrived  in  Charleston  on  the  28th  of  Novem 
ber,  just  two  days  after  the  passage  of  the  ordinance.  All  was 
excitement.  He  found  the  people  of  Charleston  divided  into 
two  parties,  nearly  equal  in  point  of  numbers,  and  each  exas 
perated  towards  the  other. 

It  was  as  important  that  he  should  not,  by  his  presence  or 
his  acts,  increase  the  excitement  of  the  public  mind,  already 
too  much  inflamed,  thus  precipitating  rash  measures  on  the 
part  of  South  Carolina,  as  it  was  that,  in  the  last  resort,  he 
should  maintain  the  supremacy  of  the  laws  held  to  be  consti 
tutional  by  every  department  of  the  federal  government,  and 
alike  binding  on  all  the  states.  This  duty  he  was  resolved  to 
execute  at  every  hazard  to  himself,  but  with  all  possible  cour 
tesy  and  kindness  compatible  with  that  paramount  object.  In 
this,  his  heart's  warm  feeling  was,  that  the  disaffected  might 
be  soothed,  and  South  Carolina  held  in  affectionate  harmony 
with  her  sister  states. 

If  history  be  not  silent  on  the  events  which  then  occurred, 


88  LIFE    OF    GENERAL    SCOTT. 

or  on  the  part  taken  by  distinguished  citizens  of  South  Carolina, 
still  less  should  it  omit  a  just  testimony  to  the  forbearance  and 
prudence  of  the  general  and  troops  of  the  United  States  em 
ployed  in  so  delicate  and  dangerous  a  service. 

The  officers  and  men  of  the  army  and  navy  bore  themselves 
with  the  meekness  and  solemnity  proper  to  so  grave  and  un 
usual  a  duty.  In  no  instance  did  they  indulge  in  any  display^ 
except  on  the  22d  of  February. 

Then  rockets  blazing  through  the  skies,  and  guns  sounding 
over  the  waters,  told  that,  as  Americans,  they  remembered  and 
blessed  the  anniversary  of  that  day,  which  gave  birth  to  the 

FATHER  OF  THE  COUNTRY  AND  THE  UNION  !       On  Other  occasions, 

every  individual  in  that  service,  though  firm  in  his  allegiance 
and  resolved  to  do  his  duty,  evinced  by  his  deportment  how 
painful  that  duty  might  become.  Scott  gave  both  the  precept 
and  the  example.  Many  officers,  like  himself,  had  frequent 
occasion  to  visit  the  city.  Boats'  crews  were  constantly  pass 
ing  and  repassing.  It  was  agreed  among  the  officers,  and  en 
joined  on  the  men,  to  give  way  to  everybody,  and  not  even  to 
resent  an  indignity,  should  one  be  offered ;  but  to  look  on  Caro 
linians  as  their  fellow-countrymen,  whom  all  were  anxious  to 
reclaim  from  an  unhappy  delusion.  These  rules  of  forbear 
ance  were  absolutely  necessary,  because  any  soldier  or  sailor, 
in  a  drunken  rencounter,  might  have  brought  on  all  the  evils  of 
a  bloody  affray. 

Just  at  the  period  of  the  utmost  anxiety  >  when  all  hearts 
were  anxious  lest  the  morrow  should  bring  forth  civil  conflict, 
a  fire  was  seen  from  Fort  Moultrie,  at  twilight,  rising  from 
Charleston,  rapidly  spreading,  and  threatening  the  city  with 
destruction.  General  Scott  happened  to  be  the  first  who  per 
ceived  the  conflagration,  and  with  great  promptness  called  for 
volunteers  to  hasten  to  the  assistance  of  the  inhabitants.  All 
the  officers  and  men  were  eager  for  the  service,  and,  with  the 
exception  of  a  mere  guard,  all  were  dispatched  in  boats  and 
without  arms,  to  subdue  the  new  and  dreadful  enemy.  Each 
detachment  was  directed  to  report  itself  to  some  city  officer, 
and  to  ask  for  employment.  A  detached  officer  preceded  to 
explain  the  object  of  this  sudden  intrusion.  Captain  Ringgold  of 


90  LIFE    OF    GENERAL    SCOTT, 

the  army,  since  promoted,  and  subsequently  slain  on  the  battle 
field  of  Palo  Alto,  who  commanded  a  detachment,  rushed  up  to 
the  intendant,  (mayor,)  and  begged  to  be  put  to  work.  A  citizen 
standing  by,  at  once  claimed  his  assistance  to  save  a  sugar- 
refinery,  then  in  imminent  danger.  "Do  you  hear  that?" 
said  Captain  Ringgold  to  his  men  :  "  we  will  go  to  the  death  for 
the  sugar!"  This  was  in  allusion  to  the  famous  threat  of 
Governor  Hamilton,  in  respect  to  his  importation  of  that  article, 
before  the  boxes  had  arrived,  that  "  they  would  go  to  the  death 
for  the  sugar."  It  may  be  added,  that  the  detachment  in 
stantly  repaired  to  the  spot,  and  the  refinery  was  saved.  Nor 
was  the  good-humored  quotation  lost  on  the  hundreds  who 
heard  it. 

The  navy  was  not  behind  the  army  in  this  act  of  neighborly 
kindness.  Both  were  early  at  the  scene  of  distress.  And  all, 
after  distinguishing  themselves  for  zeal  and  energy,  returned 
as  sober  and  as  orderly  as  they  went,  notwithstanding  refresh 
ments  had  been  profusely  handed  round  by  the  citizens. 

It  is  not  extravagant  to  say,  that  this  timely  movement,  so 
well  conceived  and  so  handsomely  executed,  overcame  much 
of  the  excitement  and  prejudice  existing  against  the  United 
States,  here  represented  by  their  soldiers  and  sailors.  These 
men  threw  themselves,  unexpected  and  unarmed,  in  the  midst 
of  a  population  strongly  excited  against  them,  and  by  saving  a 
city  from  fire,  powerfully  contributed  to  save  the  Union  from 
the  greater  horrors  of  civil  war.  The  effect  was  immediate  on 
the  spot,  and  was  soon  spread  to  other  parts  of  the  state.  It 
was  one  of  those  acts  better  adapted  to  sooth  the  asperities  of 
feeling,  than  would  have  been  any  degree  of  courage,  or  suc 
cess,  in  the  forcible  maintenance  of  the  law. 

At  this  distance  of  time,  the  part  performed  by  Scott  may 
not  seem  of  great  importance.  But  he  who  thinks  so  should 
recollect,  that  history  is  obliged  to  trace  the  greatest  events 
oftentimes  to  very  small  causes  ;  and  that  such  a  part  as  Scott's 
at  Charleston,  though  having  neither  the  crimson  glare  of  bat 
tle,  nor  the  extraordinary  skill  of  some  artful  act  of  diplomacy, 
may  nevertheless  have  been  the  hinge  of  a  crisis,  and  therefore 
more  important  than  many  battles.  It  is  the  handling  of  a 


NULLIFICATION    IN    SOUTH    CAROLINA.  91 

delicate  subject  which  makes  it  difficult,  far  more  than  "the 
settlement  of  a  question  of  exact  right  or  wrong. 

Of  the  part  which  Scott  bore  in  the  pacification  of  the  South, 
we  shall  here  give  the  words  of  Mr.  Watkins  Leigh,  of  Vir 
ginia,  who  stood  high  in  the  confidence  of  all  parties,  whose 
evidence  is  unimpeachable,  and  who  had  ample  opportunities 
of  observing  all  that  was  done.  He  says — 

"I  was  at  Charleston  when  he  (Scott)  arrived  and  as 
sumed  the  command,  which  he  did  without  any  parade  or  fuss. 
No  one  who  had  not  an  opportunity  of  observing  on  the  spot  the 
excitement  that  existed,  can  have  an  adequate  conception  of 
the  delicacy  of  the  trust.  General  Scott  had  a  large  acquaint 
ance  with  the  people  of  Charleston ;  he  was  their  friend  ;  but 
his  situation  was  such  that  many,  the  great  majority  of  them, 
looked  upon  him  as  a  public  enemy.  What  his  orders  were, 
I  cannot  undertake  to  tell  you,  nor  have  I  any  means  of 
knowing  but  from  his  conduct,  which,  I  take  it  for  granted, 
conformed  with  them.  He  thought,  as  I  thought,  that  the  first 
drop  of  blood  shed  in  civil  war,  in  civil  war  between  the  United 
States  and  one  of  the  states,  would  prove  an  immedicable 
wound,  which  would  end  in  a  change  of  our  institutions.  He 
was  resolved,  if  it  was  possible,  to  prevent  a  resort  to  arms  ; 
and  nothing  could  have  been  more  judicious  than  his  conduct. 
Far  from  being  prone  to  take  offence,  he  kept  his  temper  under 
the  strictest  guard,  and  was  most  careful  to  avoid  giving  occa 
sion  for  offence  ;  yet  he  held  himself  ready  to  act,  if  it  should 
become  necessary,  and  he  let  that  be  distinctly  understood. 
He  sought  the  society  of  the  leading  nullifiers,  and  was  in  their 
society  as  much  as  they  would  let  him  be,  but  he  took  care 
never  to  say  a  word  to  them  on  the  subject  of  political  differ 
ences  ;  he  treated  them  as  a  friend.  From  the  beginning  to 
the  end,  his  conduct  was  as  conciliatory  as  it  was  firm  and 
sincere,  evincing  that  he  knew  his  duty,  and  was  resolved  to 
perform  it,  and  yet  that  his  principal  object  and  purpose  was 
peace.  He  was  perfectly  successful,  when  the  least  impru 
dence  might  have  resulted  in  a  serious  collision." 

We  subjoin  extracts  from  a  letter  from  Major-General  Scott 
to  a  distinguished  leader  and  friend,  a  member  of  the  South 


f 


92  LIFE  OF  GENERAL  SCOTT. 

Carolina  Legislature,  then  in  session  at  Columbia,  in  order  to 
show  the  spirit  and  temper  in  which  he  discharged  the  delicate 
duties  assigned  him. 

".Savannah,  Dec.  14th,  1832. 
"  MY  DEAR  SIR, — 

"  You  have  an  excellent  memory  to  re 
mind  me,  after  so  long  an  interval,  of  my  promise  to  visit  you 
when  next  on  a  tour  to  the  South,  and  I  owe  you  an  apology 
for  not  earlier  acknowledging  your  kind  letter.  It  was  handed 
to  me  just  as  I  was  about  to  leave  Charleston,  and  I  have 
been  since  too  constantly  in  motion  (to  Augusta,  and  back 
here)  to  allow  me  to  write. 

"  As  to  the  '  speculations'  at  Columbia  relative  to  '  the  object 
of  my  visit  to  Charleston  at  this  moment,'  I  can  only  say,  that 
I  am  on  that  very  tour,  and  about  the  very  time,  mentioned  by 
me  when  I  last  had  the  pleasure  of  seeing  you.  On  what  evil 
days  we  have  fallen,  my  good  friend,  when  so  common-place 
an  event  gives  rise  to  conjecture  or  speculation  !  I  can  truly 
assure  you,  that  no  one  has  felt  more  wretched  than  your  hum 
ble  correspondent,  since  an  unhappy  controversy  began  to  as 
sume  a  serious  aspect.  I  have  always  entertained  a  high  ad 
miration  for  the  history  and-  character  of  South  Carolina,  and 
accident  or  good  fortune  has  thrown  me  into  intimacy,  and 
even  friendship,  with  almost  every  leader  of  the  two  parties 
which  now  divide  and  agitate  the  state.  Would  to  God  they 
were  again  united,  as  during  the  late  war,  when  her  federalists 
vied  with  the  republicans  in  the  career  of  patriotism  and  glory, 
and  when  her  legislature  came  powerfully  to  the  aid  of  the 
Union.  Well,  the  majority  among  you  have  taken  a  stand, 
and  those  days  of  general  harmony  may  never  return.  What 
an  awful  position  for  South  Carolina,  as  well  as  for  the  other 
states!  *  *  *  *  *  *  *  *  * 

"I  cannot  follow  out  the  long,  dark  shades  of  the  picture 
that  presents  itself  to  my  fears.  I  will  hope,  nevertheless,  for 
the  best.  But  I  turn  my  eyes  back,  and,  good  God !  what  do 
I  behold  ?  Impatient  South  Carolina  could  not  wait — she  has 
taken  a  leap,  and  is  already  a  foreign  nation  ;  and  the  great 


NULLIFICATION    IN    SOUTH    CAROLINA.  93 

names  of  Washington,  Franklin,  Jefferson,  and  Greene,  no  longer 
compatriot  with  yours,  or  those  of  Laurens,  Moultrie,  Pinck- 
ney,  and  Marion  with  mine ! 

"  But  the  evil,  supposing  the  separation  to  have  been  peace 
able,  would  not  stop  there.  When  one  member  shall  withdraw, 
the  whole  arch  of  the  Union  will  tumble  in.  Out  of  the  bro 
ken  fragments  new  combinations  will  arise.  We  should  proba 
bly  have,  instead  of  one,  three  confederacies — -a  northern,  south 
ern,  and  western  reunion  ;  and  transmontane  Virginia,  your 
native  country,  not  belonging  to  the  South,  but  torn  off  by  the 
general  West.  I  turn  with  horror  from  the  picture  I  have  only 
sketched.  I  have  said  it  is  dark  ;  let  but  one  drop  of  blood  be 
spilt  upon  the  canvass,  and  it  becomes  '  one  red.' 

" '  Lands  intersected  by  a  narrow  frith 
Abhor  each  other.     Mountains  interposed 
Make  enemies  of  nations,  which  had  else, 
Like  kindred  drops,  been  mingled  into  one.' 

"  But  you  and  my  other  South  Carolina  friends  have  taken 
your  respective  sides,  and  I  must  follow  out  mine. 

"  You  have  probably  heard  of  the  arrival  of  two  or  three 
companies  at  Charleston  in  the  last  six  weeks,  and  you  may 
hear  that  as  many  more  have  followed.  There  is  nothing  in 
consistent  with  the  President's  message  in  these  movements. 
The  intention  simply  is,  that  the  forts  in  the  harbor  shall  not 
be  wrested  from  the  United  States.  I  believe  it  is  not  appre 
hended  that  the  state  authorities  contemplate  any  attack,  at 
least  in  the  present  condition  of  things,  on  these  posts ;  but  I 
know  it  has  been  feared  that  some  unauthorized  multitude, 
under  sudden  excitement,  might  attempt  to  seize  them.  The 
President,  I  presume,  will  stand  on  the  defensive — thinking  it 
better  to  discourage  than  to  invite  an  attack — better  to  prevent 
than  to  repel  one,  in  order  to  gain  time  for  wisdom'  and  modera 
tion  to  exert  themselves  in  the  capitol  at  Washington,  and  in 
the  state-house  at  Columbia.  From  humane  considerations 
like  these,  the  posts  in  question  have  been,  and  probably  will 
be,  slightly  reinforced.  I  state  what  I  partly  know,  and  what 
I  partly  conjecture,  in  order  that  the  case  which  I  see  is  pro 
vided  for  in  one  of  your  bills,  may  not  be  supposed  to  have 


94  LIFE    OF    GENERAL    SCOTT. 

actually  occurred.  If  I  were  possessed  of  an  important  secret 
of  the  government,  my  honor  certainly  would  not  allow  me  to 
disclose  it  ^  but  there  is  in  the  foregoing  neither  secrecy  nor 
deception.  My  ruling  wish  is,  that  neither  party  take  a  rash 
step,  that  might  put  all  healing  powers  at  defiance.  It  is, 
doubtless,  merely  intended  to  hold  the  posts  for  the  present.  A 
few  companies  are  incapable  of  effecting  any  further  object. 
The  engineer,  also,  is  going  on,  steadily,  but  slowly,  in  erect 
ing  the  new  work  on  the  site  of  Fort  Johnson,  (long  since  pro 
jected  for  the  defence  of  the  harbor,)  the  foundation  of  which 
is  but  just  laid.  When  finished,  some  years  hence,  I  trust  it 
may  long  be  regarded,  both  by  South  Carolina  and  the  other 
states,  as  one  of  the  bulwarks  of  our  common  coast. 

There  is  nothing  in  this  letter  intended  to  be  confidential,  nor 
intended  for  the  public  press.  When  I  commenced  it  I  only 
designed  giving  utterance  to  private  sentiments,  unconnected 
with  public  events ;  but  my  heart  being  filled  with  grief  on 
account  of  the  latter,  my  pen  has  run  a  little  into  that  distress. 
Let  us,  however,  hope  for  more  cheering  times.  Yet,  be  this 
as  it  may,  and  whether  our  duties  be  several  or  common,  I 
shall  always  have  a  place  in  my  bosom  for  the  private  affec 
tions,  and  that  I  may  ever  stand  in  the  old  relation  to  you,  is 
the  sincere  wish  of  your  friend, 

WINFIELD  SCOTT." 

With  this  letter  we  close  the  narrative  of  one  of  the  most 
critical  periods  of  American  history.  It  has  not  been  written 
to  add  to,  or  take  from,  the  merit,  the  errors,  or  the  part,  of 
any  one  of  the  actors  in  those  scenes.  History  is  fable  when 
it  is  not  just.  It  may  be  a  picture  of  fancy  made  beautiful  by 
the  pencil  of  flattery,  or  deformed  by  the  pen  of  scandal,  but  it 
cannot  be  history,  when  truth  is  not  the  writer  and  justice  the 
witness  of  its  record. 

The  veil  of  confidence  yet  rests  upon  many  of  Scott's  acts 
and  letters  of  this  period. 


FLORIDA    WAR.  95 


FLORIDA    WAR. 

ON  the  llth  August,  1835,  the  United  States  mail  carrier 
who  left  Tampa,  Florida,  was  murdered  about  six  miles  from 
that  place.  The  mangled  body  of  the  carrier  was  thrown  into 
a  pond,  and  the  mail  carried  off.  The  murderers,  though  not 
taken,  were  ascertained  to  be  Indians.  At  first,  this  was  sup 
posed  to  be  only  an  isolated  outrage.  But  it  was  soon  discov 
ered  that  the  Seminole  tribe  of  Indians,  then  resident  in  Florida, 
united  with  a  few  individuals  of  the  Creek  tribe,  had  become 
discontented,  and  determined  on  opposition  to  the  whites ;  that 
able  chiefs  were  exciting  them,  and  that  murmurs  of  injustice 
perpetrated  by  the  people  of  the  United  States  against  them, 
and  of  an  indignant  resistance  to  it,  were  heard  among  the 
small  but  independent  tribes  of  Florida.  In  about  three  months 
more,  this  resistance  and  muttered  indignation  burst  forth,  in 
depredations  against  property,  in 'plantations  ravaged,  in  dwell 
ings  burnt,  and  in  murders  committed  ;  in  fine,  with  the  deso 
lations  and  Horrors  of  an  Indian  war.  In  return,  they  were 
told  that  they  should  be  swept  from  the  earth ;  but,  if  they  had 
the  courage  to  die  with  arms  in  their  hands,  "  the  white  man 
would  not  deny  them  the  privilege  of  sleeping  out  their  death- 
sleep  on  the  soil  upon  which  he  cannot  endure  their  living 
presence." 

OSCEOLA,  or  Powell,  one  of  the  head  chiefs  of  the  Seminoles, 
is  represented  as  the  principal  instigator  of  the  war,  and  one 
of  the  boldest  warriors  engaged  in  it.  His  father  was  a  white 
man,  and  his  mother  a  Creek  Indian ;  but,  among  the  Indians, 
the  men  take  rank  generally  from  their  mothers.  Osceola 
was  therefore  known  as  a  Creek.  But,  like  Ke-o-kuck,  he 
inherited  no  title  or  command.  He  was  raised  to  distinction 
by  superior  talents,  courage,  and  ambition.  Before  the  war, 
he  was  proud,  gloomy,  and  insolent ;  but  on  one  occasion,  in  a 
talk  with  the  agent,  (General  Thompson,)  he  burst  into  a  par 
oxysm  of  passion,  declared  the  country  was  theirs,  that  they 
wanted  no  agent,  and  that  he  (General  Thompson)  had  better 
be  off.  For  this  h?  was  arrested,  and  confined.  Afterwards 


96  LIFE  OF  GENERAL  SCOTT. 

he  assumed  penitence,  appeared  cheerful,  signed  the  treaty, 
and  was  released,  with  many  fair  promises.  Subsequent 
events  proved  that  this  appearance  was  but  the  acting  of  a 
part. 

On  the  20th  of  January,  1836,  General  Scott  was  ordered  to 
the  command  of  the  army  of  Florida.  He  saw  the  Secretary 
at  War  at  four  o'clock  on  the  afternoon  of  that  day.  Being 
asked  when  he  could  set  out  for  Florida,  he  replied,  "  that 
night."  His  instructions,  however,  could  not  be  drawn  up  till 
the  following  day.  On  the  21st,  it  appeared  probable  that 
many  of  the  Creeks  would  join  the  Seminoles,  and  General 
Scott  received  orders  to  proceed  immediately  to  the  theatre  of 
hostilities  and  assume  the  command.  Having  reached  Picolata, 
on  the  St.  John's  River,  Scott  issued  his  general  orders  on  the 
22d  of  February.  He  formed  the  army  into  three  divisions. 
The  troops  on  the  west  of  the  St.  John's,  under  the  gal- 
lant  General  Clinch,  Were  to  constitute  the  right  wing  of  the 
army.  Those  on  the  east  of  that  river,  under  Brigadier-Gen 
eral  Eustis,  the  left ;  while  those  at  Tampa  Bay,  under  Colo" 
nel  Lindsay,  were  to  form  the  centre.  These  tAops  were  to 
be  reinforced  by  volunteers  from  the  neighboring  states. 

It  was  after  the  middle  of  March,  when  General  Scott, 
having  made  all  his  arrangements  for  the  three  divisions  of  the 
army,  and  they  having  been  joined  by  the  volunteers,  the  col 
umns  of  Clinch,  Eustis,  and  Lindsay,  respectively  moved  to 
wards  the  Wythlacoochee,  in  order  to  meet  in  what  was  sup 
posed  to  be  the  heart  of  the  Indian  country.  It  was  then  con 
fidently  believed  that  the  great  body  of  the  Indians  were  in  the 
swamp,  about  the  junction  of  the  Wythlacoochee. 

The  troops,  however,  moved  through  the  country,  without 
finding  any  other  enemy  than  separate  parties  of  the  Semi 
noles,  who  from  time  to  time  were  met,  and  who  fought  fiercely 
in  their  retreat.  All  the  battles  and  the  plans  which  had  pre 
ceded  this  expedition,  had  evidently  failed  of  either  breaking 
the  spirit  of  the  Indians,  or  even  of  tracing  them  to  their  coverts 
and  towns.  The  columns  of  Scott  moved  through  the  country 
which  had  been  the  scene  of  Dade's  massacre,  and  of  the  battles 
with  Clinch  and  Gaines,  without  having  discovered  the  retreats 


FLORIDA    WAR.  97 

of  the  Indians,  and,  in  fact,  without  having  met  any  large  body 
of  them. 

On  the  5th  of  April  all  the  divisions  of  the  army  had  arrived 
at  Tampa  Bay.  Their  arrival  was  hastened  by  both  sickness 
and  hunger.  It  had  been  found  impossible  to  carry  a  large 
supply  of  provisions  through  a  country  where  the  men  alone 
could  scarcely  advance,  where  horses  were  continually  failing, 
and  where  climate  rendered  it  dangerous  to  expose  the  men  to 
unusual  fatigue.  Each  had  in  turn  hastened  to  Tampa.  The 
expedition  having  failed  in  its  main  object — the  discovery  and 
breaking  up  of  the  enemy's  main  or  central  stronghold — Gen- 
eral  Scott  determined  to  scour  the  country  with  small  detach 
ments  and  corps,  in  order,  if  possible,  to  uncover  the  Indian 
retreats.  Five  different  corps  were  employed  in  this  way. 
One  was  led  by  Scott  himself,  which,  passing  the  battle-ground 
of  Dade,  crossed  the  Ocklewaha,  and  finally  ascended  in  a 
steamboat  from  Volusia  up  the  St.  John's  River.  Another 
corps  moved  under  the  command  of  Clinch ;  another  under 
Eustis  ;  another  under  Colonel  Smith,  up  Peas  Creek  ;  a  fifth 
moved  under  Major  Reed,  up  the  Wythlacoochee  from  its 
mouth  ;  and  a  sixth  was  commanded  by  Colonel  Lindsay. 
None  of  these  parties,  however,  met  with  any  more  important 
events  than  encountering  small  bodies  of  the  enemy,  and 
occasional  skirmishes. 

When  this  campaign,  whose  entire  period  was  scarcely  one 
month,  had  terminated,  the  troops  had  already  been  attacked 
with  severe  sickness ;  near  four  hundred  were  in  the  hospitals ; 
the  provisions  were  totally  inadequate  to  proceed  farther,  and 
for  the  first  time  it  had  been  fully  discovered,  and  proved,  that 
the  enemy  to  be  pursued  was  lodged  literally  in  wildernesses 
and  swamps,  to  which  the  feet  of  civilized  men  had  scarcely 
ever  penetrated,  and  which  were  inaccessible  to  the  common 
methods  of  approach  by  regular  troops.  Notwithstanding 
these  facts,  it  is  not  very  surprising,  that  many  of  the  inhabit 
ants  of  Florida  on  the  exposed  frontier  were  alarmed,  and  freely 
censured  the  general,  who,  however  brave,  zealous,  or  inde 
fatigable,  had  nevertheless  been  unable  to  conquer  the  laws  of 
nature,  or  resist  the  approaches  of  disease. 

5 


98  LIFE  OF  GENERAL  SCOTT. 

On  the  9th  of  July,  General  Scott  gave  up  the  command  of 
the  army,  having  been  ordered  to  Washington  under  extraordi 
nary  circumstances. 

He  immediately  obeyed  the  order,  proceeded  to  Washington, 
and  demanded  a  court  of  inquiry.  On  the  3d  of  October  a 
court,  composed  of  Major-General  Macomb,  and  Brigadier- 
Generals  Atkinson  and  Brady,  was  directed  to  assemble  at 
Frederick,  in  Maryland,  and  to  inquire  into  the  conduct  of 
General  Scott,  in  the  Florida  and  Creek  campaigns. 

The  decision  of  the  court  of  inquiry  was  entirely  in  favor  of 
General  Scott. 

"  The  court,  after  a  careful  review  of  the  great  mass  of  tes 
timony  taken  in  the  foregoing  investigation,  (the  Florida  cam 
paign,)  finds  that  Major-General  Scott  was  amply  clothed  with 
authority  to  create  the  means  of  prosecuting  the  Seminole  war 
to  a  successful  issue  ;  but  is  of  opinion  that,  at  the  time  he  was 
invested  with  the  command,  the  season  was  too  far  advanced 
for  him  to  collect,  appoint,  and  put  in  motion  his  forces,  until  a 
day  too  late  to  accomplish  the  object.  It  appears  that  after 
using  great  diligence  and  energy,  he  was  not  in  a  condition  to 
take  the  field  and  enter  the  enemy's  strongholds  before  the  28th 
of  March,  and  then  without  sufficient  means  for  transporting 
the  necessary  supplies  to  enable  him  to  remain  there  long 
enough  to  seek  out  the  scattered  forces  of  the  enemy. 

"  The  court,  therefore,  ascribe  the  failure  of  the  campaign 
to  the  want  of  time  to  operate,  the  insalubrity  of  the  climate 
after  the  middle  of  April,  the  impervious  swamps  and  ham 
mocks  that  abound  in  the  country  then  occupied  by  the  enemy, 
affording  him  cover  and  retreat  at  every  step,  and  absence  of 
all  knowledge,  by  the  general  or  any  part  of  his  forces,  of  the 
topography  of  the  country,  together  with  the  difficulty  of  obtain 
ing,  in  time,  the  means  of  transporting  supplies  for  the  army. 

"The  court  is  further  of  opinion,  from  the  testimony  of 
many  officers  of  rank  and  intelligence  who  served  in  the  cam 
paign,  that  Major-General  Scott  was  zealous  and  indefatigable 
in  the  discharge  of  his  duties,  and  that  his  plan  of  campaign 
was  well  devised,  and  prosecuted  with  energy,  steadiness,  and 
ability." 


FLORIDA    WAR.  99 

On  the  other  charge,  which  was  tried  at  the  same  time,  of 
delay  in  opening  and  prosecuting  the  Creek  campaign  in  1836, 
the  opinion  of  the  court  was  as  follows,  viz  : — 

"  Upon  a  careful  examination  of  the  abundant  testimony 
taken  in  the  foregoing  case,  the  court  is  of  opinion  that  no  de 
lay,  which  it  was  practicable  to  have  avoided,  was  made  by 
Major-General  Scott  in  opening  the  campaign  against  the  Creek 
Indians.  On  the  contrary,  it  appears  that  he  took  the  earliest 
measures  to  provide  arms,  munitions,  and  provisions  for  his 
forces,  who  were  found  almost  wholly  destitute  ;  and  as  soon 
as  arms  could  be  put  into  the  hands  of  the  volunteers,  they 
were,  in  succession,  detached  and  placed  in  positions  to  prevent 
the  enemy  from  retiring  upon  Florida,  whence  they  could  move 
against  the  main  body  of  the  enemy,  as  soon  as  equipped  for 
offensive  operations. 

"  From  the  testimony  of  the  Governor  of  Georgia,  of  Major- 
General  Sanford,  commander  of  the  Georgia  volunteers,  and 
many  other  witnesses  of  high  rank  and  standing  who  were 
acquainted  with  the  topography  of  the  country,  and  the  position 
and  strength  of  the  enemy,  the  court  is  of  opinion  that  the  plan 
of  campaign  adopted  by  General  Scott  was  well  calculated  to 
lead  to  successful  results,  and  that  it  was  prosecuted  by  him, 
as  far  as  practicable,  with  zeal  and  ability,  until  recalled  from 
the  command." 

Such  was  the  strong  testimony  which  the  court  and  the  wit 
nesses  bore  to  General  Scott's  zealous  and  'judicious  arrange 
ments  in  the  campaigns  of  the  south.  At  this  time,  looking 
back  upon  t.he  events  of  those  campaigns,  with  a  clearer  vision 
than  could  then  be  fixed  on  a  cotemporaneous  field  of  action, 
the  truth  and  the  justice  of  this  judicial  opinion  are  both  mani 
fest  and  demonstrable. 

In  the  year  1837,  when  the  House  of  Representatives  was 
engaged  in  one  of  those  debates  on  various  and  miscellaneous 
topics,  which  grow  out  of  the  management  of  public  affairs,  thf 
Hon.  Richard  Biddle,  of  Pennsylvania,  took  occasion  to  speak 
of  General  Scott,  in  connection  with  the  Florida  campaigns. 

Mr.  Biddle  said  : — 

"  It  would  be  recollected  bv  all,  that  after  the  war  in  Florida 


100  LIFE  OF  GENERAL  SCOTT. 

had  assumed  a  formidable  aspect,  Major-General  Scott  was 
called  to  the  command.  An  officer  of  his  rank  and  standing 
was  not  likely  to  seek  a  service  in  which,  amidst  infinite  toil 
and  vexation,  there  would  be  no  opportunity  for  the  display  of 
military  talent  on  a  scale  at  all  commensurate  with  that  in 
which  his  past  fame  had  been  acquired.  Yet  he  entered  on  it 
with  the  alacrity,  zeal,  and  devotion  to  duty  by  which  he  has 
ever  been  distinguished. 

"And  here  (Mr.  B.  said)  he  might  be  permitted  to  advert  to 
the  past  history  of  this  officer. 

"  Sir,  when  the  late  General  Brown,  writing  from  the  field 
of  Chippewa,  said  that  General  Scott  merited  the  highest  praises 
which  a  grateful  country  could  bestow,  was  there  a  single 
bosom  throughout  this  wide  republic  that  did  not  respond  to  the 
sentiment?  I  for  one,  at  least,  can  never  forget  the  thrill  of 
enthusiasm,  boy  as  I  then  was,  which  mingled  with  my  own 
devout  thankfulness  to  God,  that  the  cloud  which  seemed  to 
have  settled  on  our  arms  was  at  length  dispelled.  On  that 
plain  it  was  established  that  Americans  could  be  trained  to  meet 
and  to  beat,  in  the  open  field,  without  breastworks,  the  regulars 
of  Britain. 

********** 

"  Sir,  the  result  of  that  day  was  due  not  merely  to  the  gal 
lantry  of  General  Scott  upon  the  field.  It  must  in  part  be 
ascribed  to  the  patient,  anxious,  and  indefatigable  drudgery,  the 
consummate  skill  as  a  tactician,  with  which  he  had  labored, 
night  and  day,  at  the  camp  near  Buffalo,  to  prepare  his  brigade 
for  the  career  on  which  it  was  about  to  enter. 

"  After  a  brief  interval  he  again  led  that  brigade  to  the  glo 
rious  victory  of  Bridgewater.  He  bears  now  upon  his  body 
the  wounds  of  that  day. 

"  It  had  ever  been  the  characteristic  of  this  officer  to  seek 
the  post  of  danger,  not  to  have  it  thrust  upon  him.  In  the 
years  preceding  that  to  which  I  have  specially  referred — in 
1812  and  1813 — the  eminent  services  he  rendered  were  in 
positions  which  properly  belonged  to  others,  but  into  which  he 
was  led  by  irrepressible  ardor  and  jealousy  of  honor. 

"  Since  the  peace  with  Great  Britain,  the  talents  of  General 


FLORIDA    WAR.  101 

Scott  have  ever  been  at  the  command  of  his  country.  His  pen 
and  his  sword  have  alike  been  put  in  requisition  to  meet  the 
varied  exigencies  of  the  service. 

"  When  the  difficulties  with  the  western  Indians  swelled  up 
into  importance,  General  Scott  was  dispatched  to  the  scene  of 
hostility.  There  rose  up  before  him  then,  in  the  ravages  of  a 
frightful  pestilence,  a  form  of  danger  infinitely  more  appalling 
than  the  perils  of  the  field.  How  he  bore  himself  in  this 
emergency — how  faithfully  he  became  the  nurse  and  the  phy 
sician  of  those  from  whom  terror  and  loathing  had  driven  all 
other  aid,  cannot  be  forgotten  by  a  just  and  grateful  country.'' 

Mr.  Biddle  then  continued  in  a  defence  of  the  conduct  of 
General  Scott  in  the  Florida  and  Alabama  campaigns,  con 
cluding  with  the  following  eloquent  peroration  : — 

"  Mr.  Chairman,  I  believe  that  a  signal  atonement  to  Gen 
eral  Scott  will,  one  day,  be  extorted  from  the  justice  of  this 
House.  We  owe  it  to  him  ;  but  we  owe  it  still  more  to  the 
country.  What  officer  can  feel  secure  in  the  face  of  that  great 
example  of  triumphant  injustice  ?  Who  can  place  before  him 
self  the  anticipation  of  establishing  higher  claims  upon  the 
gratitude  of  the  country  than  General  Scott  ?  Yet  he  was  sac 
rificed.  His  past  services  went  for  nothing.  Sir,  you  may 
raise  new  regiments,  and  issue  new  commissions,  but  you  can 
not,  without  such  atonement,  restore  the  high  moral  tone  which 
befits  the  depositaries  of  the  national  honor.  T  fondly  wish 
that  the  highest  and  the  lowest  in  the  country's  service  might 
be  taught  to  regard  this  House  as  the  jealous  guardian  of  his 
rights,  against  caprice,  or  favoritism,  or  outrage,  from  whatever 
quarter.  I  would  have  him  know  that,  in  running  up  the 
national  flag,  at  the  very  moment  our  daily  labors  commence, 
we  do  not  go  through  an  idle  form.  On  whatever  distant  ser 
vice  he  may  be  sent — whether  urging  his  way  amidst  tumbling 
icebergs,  towards  the  pole,  or  fainting  in  the  unwholesome 
heats  of  Florida — I  would  enable  him,  as  he  looks  up  to  that 
flag,  to  gather  hope  and  strength.  It  should  impart  to  him  a 
proud  feeling  of  confidence  and  security.  He  should  know 
that  the  same  emblem  of  majesty  and  justice  floats  over  the 
councils  of  the  nation  :  and  that  in  its  untarnished  lustre  we 


102  LIFE    OF     GENERAL    SCOTT. 

have  all  a  common  interest  and  a  common  sympathy.  Then, 
sir,  and  not  before,  will  you  have  an  army  or  a  navy  worthy 
to  sustain  and  to  perpetuate  the  glory  of  former  days." 


SCOTT'S    AGENCY    IN    QUELLING    THE    TROUBLES  ON    THE    NIAGARA 
FRONTIER. 

IN  the  year  1837,  Canada,  which  continues,  in  spite  of  the 
republican  influences  of  the  United  States,  under  the  govern 
ment  of  Great  Britain,  became  the  scene  of  great  political 
excitement,  and  of  warm  resistance  to  the  measures  of  its 
administration.  Towards  the  close  of  that  year  insurgent 
movements  broke  out  among  the  French  population  of  the 
lower  province,  and  the  spirit  of  revolt  was  spread  among  the 
disaffected  of  Upper  Canada.  The  border  population  of  all 
nations  take  great  interest  in  what  occurs  beyond  the  boundary 
line,  and  are  disposed  either  to  invade  or  sympathize  with  their 
neighbors,  according  to  the  events  by  which  they  are  excited. 
When,  therefore,  the  flame  of  insurrection  was  kindled  in 
Canada,  it  was  not  arrested  by  a  mere  line  of  jurisdiction.  It 
reached  and  agitated  the  frontier  inhabitants  of  the  United 
States,  along  the  entire  border  from  the  hills  of  Vermont  to  the 
Huron  of  the  northwest.  On  this  frontier,  the  citizens  enrolled 
themselves  as  Canada  patriots  or  sympathizers,  until,  perhaps, 
one  fourth  of  all  the  inhabitants  capable  of  bearing  arms  were 
professed  friends  and  abe/ttors  of  the  Canada  movement.  Itiner 
ant  refugees  were  seen  everywhere  organizing  their  friends, 
with  a  view  to  descents  upon  the  Canadas.  Thousands  and  thou 
sands  met  in  lodges  all  along  the  border,  oaths  of  secrecy  were 
administered,  principal  leaders  appointed,  generals  and  staff- 
officers  chosen,  and,  at  least  for  Upper  Canada,  a  provisional 
government  formed.  The  President  of  the  United  States  issued 
his  proclamation  enjoining  all  good  citizens  to  observe  the 
strictest  neutrality  towards  the  British  provinces.  It  had  but 
little  effect. 

The  arms  in  the  hands  of  the  citizens,  and  even  those  in  the 


BURNING  OF  THE  CAROLINE.  103 

state  arsenals  within  reach  of  the  borders,  were  soon  seized  or 
purloined,  thus  affording  equipments  to  the  American  Canada 
patriots.  At  length,  a  Mr.  Van  Rensselaer,  with  some  hun 
dreds  of  followers,  crossed  from  Schlosser,  {a  mile  and  a  half 
above  Niagara  Falls,)  and  took  possession  of  Navy  Island,  a 
small  uninhabited  spot  within  the  British  line,  but  near  to 
our  shore.  At  this  time  there  could  be  little  hope  of  going 
further,  for  the  only  outbreak  in  the  opposite  province  had  been 
crushed  in  a  moment  by  the  very  people  to  whom  it  was  pro 
posed  to  give  independence  and  freedom.  At  this  time  also, 
besides  some  regular  troops,  seventeen-twentieths  of  the  pro 
vincial  militia  were  firm  in  their  loyalty,  well  organized,  well 
armed,  and  commanded  by  regular  officers. 

This  idle  invasion,  though  unimportant  to  the  Canadas,  was 
not  without  consequences  in  history.  It  was  followed  by  a 
very  serious  incident,  which  excited  deep  feeling  in  the  United 
States,  and  was  the  subject  of  much  diplomatic  correspondence. 

Van  Rensselaer,  we  have  said,  was  stationed  with  a  scanty 
and  ill-provided  band  at  Navy  Island.  Schlosser,  as  above 
stated,  was  a  point  on  the  American  shore  just  opposite.  A 
small  steamer  called  the  Caroline  was  engaged  by  Van  Rens 
selaer  to  act  as  a  ferry-boat  between  these  two  points.  The 
very  first  night  the  Caroline  commenced  her  voyages,  the 
British  fitted  out  an  expedition  from  the  opposite  point,  Chip- 
pewa.  Instead  of  directing  their  attack,  as  they  might  have 
done,  against  Navy  Island,  within  their  own  territory,  and 
which  they  would  probably  have  captured,  they  chose  to  violate 
our  territory,  by  boarding  the  unarmed  steamer  fastened  to  the 
wharf  at  Schlosser.  She  happened  to  be  full  of  idle  people, 
including  boys  unconnected  with  Van  Rensselaer,  who  had 
been  attracted  to  the  frontier  by  the  rumor  of  war,  and  who  had 
simply  begged  a  night's  lodgings.  One  citizen  was  killed,  and 
several  others  wounded.  The  boat  was  cut  loose,  set  on  fire, 
and  sent  over  the  cataract,  as  was  reported,  and  long  believed 
by  many,  with  several  wounded  Americans  on  board.  When 
this  occurred,  a  flame  of  excitement  rose  up  throughout  the 
interior  of  the  United  States.  The  sentiment  of  patriotism  and 
the  feeling  of  revenge  were  frequently  mingled  together. 


104  LIFE    OF    GENERAL    SCOTT. 

Orderly  citizens  seized  upon  the  arms  nearest  at  hand,  and 
flocked  to  the  frontier.  Their  numbers  increased,  and  the 
peace  of  this  country,  and  perhaps  of  all  other  civilized  nations, 
was  threatened,  by  the  act  of  outrage  committed  on  the  Caro 
line. 

That  vessel  was  destroyed  December  29th,  1837.  The 
news  reached  Washington  January  4th.  General  Scott  hap 
pened  to  be  there.  A  cabinet  council  was  called,  and  Scott 
was  told  that  blood  had  been  shed,  and  he  must  hasten  to  the 
frontier.  Full  powers  were  given  him  to  call  for  militia,  to 
put  himself  in  communication  with  the  United  States  district 
attorneys,  marshals,  and  collectors,  in  order  through  them  to 
enforce  the  act  of  neutrality,  the  good  faith  pledged  to  Great 
Britain  by  treaty,  and,  in  short,  to  defend  our  own  territory,  if 
necessary,  against  invasion,  or  to  maintain  peace  throughout 
the  borders.  No  regular  troops  were  at  hand.  All  had  been 
withdrawn  for  the  Florida  war.  He  had  ordered  up,  in  passing 
New  York,  small  parties  of  unattached  army  recruits,  and  at 
Albany  invited  the  able  and  patriotic  governor  (Marcy)  to 
accompany  him  to  the  Niagara.  The  presence  of  the  governor 
was  highly  valuable  during  the  few  days  that  he  could  remain. 
Being  on  the  spot,  he  was  ready  to  supply  any  number  of 
volunteers,  on  the  requisition  of  Scott,  as  they  might  be  needed  ; 
for  it  was  not  known  that  the  violation  of  our  territory  at 
Schlosser  might  not  be  followed  up  by  other  outrages  of  the 
same  kind. 

During  the  winter  of  1838  and  that  of  1838-9,  he  was  busy 
in  exercising  his  influence  for  peace,  and  in  quieting  our  dis 
turbed  frontier.  The  troops,  both  regulars  and  volunteers, 
proved  to  be  steady  supporters  of  law  and  order,  and  were 
held  everywhere  ready,  as  posses,  at  the  call  of  the  United 
States  marshals  and  collectors. 

Scott  posted  himself  nowhere,  but  was  by  turns  rapidlj 
everywhere,  and  always  in  the  midst  of  the  greater  difficulties. 
In  these  winter  campaigns  against  the  trespassers  of  the  bor 
ders,  he  passed  frequently  along  the  frontier,  sometimes  on  the 
Detroit  and  sometimes  on  the  north  line  of  Vermont.  His 


TREATIES    BINDING    ON    EACH    CITIZEN.  105 

journeyings  were  made  by  land,  and  principally  in  the  night ; 
oftentimes  with  the  cold  from  ten  to  twenty  degrees  below  the 
freezing  point.  Daylight  he  chiefly  employed  in  organizing 
the  means  of  counteraction  by  an  extensive  correspondence 
and  the  labors  of  direct  pacification.  He  obtained,  and  pressed 
upon  district  attorneys,  marshals,  and  collectors,  information 
of  the  designs  and  movements  of  the  patriots,  and  tendered  to 
those  civil  functionaries  the  aid  of  the  troops.  In  performance 
of  his  duty  as  a  peacemaker,  he  addressed,  on  a  line  of  eight 
hundred  miles,  immense  gatherings  of  citizens,  principally 
organized  sympathizers,  who  had  their  arms  at  hand. 

In  these  addresses  he  declaimed  with  fervor,  and  they  were 
often  received  with  the  loud  applause  of  the  audience.  He 
handled  every  topic  which  could  inspire  shame  in  misdoers,  or 
excite  pride  in  the  friends  of  the  government  and  country. 
His  speeches  were  made  with  popular  illustrations  and  allusions, 
and  addressed  both  to  the  knowledge  and  the  sentiment  of  the 
people.  He  reminded  them  of  the  nature  of  a  republic,  which 
can  have  no  foundation  of  permanency  except  in  the  general 
intelligence,  virtue,  respect,  and  obedience  of  its  people  ;  that 
if,  in  the  attempt  to  force  on  our  unwilling  neighbors  inde 
pendence  and  free  institutions,  we  had  first  to  spurn  and  trample 
under  foot  treaty  stipulations  and  laws  made  by  our  own  repre 
sentatives,  we  should  greatly  hazard  free  institutions  at  home 
in  the  confidence  and  respect  of  our  own  people  ;  that  no  gov 
ernment  can  or  ought  to  exist  for  a  moment  after  losing  the 
power  of  executing  its  obligations  to  foreign  countries,  and  of 
enforcing  its  own  laws  at  home  ;  that  that  power  depended  in 
a  republic  chiefly  on  the  people  themselves ;  that  we  had  a 
treaty  with  England,  binding  us  to  the  strictest  observance  of 
amity,  or  all  the  duties  of  good  neighborhood  with  adjoining 
provinces,  and  also  an  act  of  Congress  for  enforcing  those  sol. 
emn  obligations ;  that  the  treaty  and  the  laws  were  as  binding 
on  the  honor  and  the  conscience  of  every  American  freeman, 
as  if  he  had  specially  voted  for  each  ;  that  this  doctrine  was 
of  the  very  essence  of  a  civilized  republic,  as  the  neglect  of  it 
could  not  fail  to  sink  us  into  anarchy,  barbarism,  and  universal 
contempt ;  that  an  aggressive  war,  waged  by  a  part  of  the 

5* 


106  LIFE    OF    GENERAL    SCOTT. 

community,  without  just  cause  and  without  preparation,  as  is 
common  among  barbarian  tribes,  necessarily  drags  the  non- 
consenting  many  along  with  the  madness  of  the  few,  involving 
all  alike  in  crime,  disaster,  and  disgrace ;  that  a  war,  to  be 
successful,  must  be  very  differently  commenced ;  and  in  these 
addresses  he  would  often  conclude  : — "  Fellow-citizens, — and 
I  thank  God,  we  have  a  common  government  as  well  as  a 
common  origin, — I  stand  before  you  without  troops  and  without 
arms,  save  the  blade  by  my  side.  I  am,  therefore,  within  your 
power.  Some  of  you  have  known  me  in  other  scenes,  and  all 
of  you  know  that  I  am  ready  to  do  what  my  country  and  what 
duty  demands.  I  tell  you,  then,  except  it  be  over  my  body, 
you  shall  not  pass  this  line — you  shall  not  embark. ;: 

But  the  inquiry  was  everywhere  heard,  "  What  say  you  of 
the  burning  of  the  Caroline,  and  the  murder  of  citizens  at  our 
own  shore  ?" 

In  reply  to  these  questions,  General  Scott  always  frankly 
admitted  that  these  acts  constituted  a  national  outrage,  and  that 
they  called  for  explanation  and  satisfaction  ;  but  that  this  whole 
subject  was  in  the  hands  of  the  President,  the  official  organ  of 
the  country,  specially  chosen  by  the  people  for  national  pur 
poses  ;  that  there  was  no  doubt  the  President  would  make  the 
proper  demand,  and  failing  to  obtain  satisfaction,  would  lay  the 
whole  matter  before  Congress — the  representative  of  the  public 
will,  and  next  to  the  people,  the  tribunal  before  which  the 
ultimate  appeal  must  be  made. 

These  harangues  were  applauded,  and  were  generally  very 
successful.  Masses  of  patriots  broke  off  and  returned  to  their 
respective  homes,  declaring,  that  if  Scott  had  been  accompanied 
by  an  army  they  would  not  have  listened,  but  persevered. 
The  friends  of  order  were  also  encouraged  to  come  out  in 
support  of  authority,  and  at  length  peace  and  quiet  were 
restored.  In  the  mean  while,  one  of  those  incidents  occurred 
which  make  history  dramatic,  and  which  illustrate  how  much 
depends  on  individual  men  arid  single  events.  Many  days- 
after  the  destruction  of  the  "  Caroline,"  another  steamer,  the 
"  Barcelona,"  was  cut  out  of  the  ice  in  Buffalo  harbor,  (Janu 
ary,  1838,)  and  taken  down  the  Niagara  river,  to  be  offered, 


THE    BARCELONA    COMES    UP    THE    RIVER.  107 

as  was  known,  to  the  patriots,  who  were  still  on  Navy  Island. 
"Scott  wished  to  compel  them  to  abandon  their  criminal  enter 
prise.  He  also  desired  to  have  them,  on  returning  within  our 
jurisdiction,  arrested  by  the  marshal,  who  was  always  with 
him.  For  this  purpose,  he  sent  an  agent  to  hire  the  Barcelona 
for  the  service  of  the  United  States,  before  the  patriots  could 
get  the  means  to  pay  for  her,  or  find  sureties  to  indemnify  the 
owners  in  case  of  capture  or  destruction  by  the  British.  He 
succeeded  in  all  these  objects.  The  Barcelona  proceeded  back 
to  Buffalo,  where  Scott  had  immediate  use  for  her  on  Lake 
Erie,  yet  navigable  in  all  its  length.  The  authorities  on  the 
Canada  side  tfere  on  the  alert  to  destroy  her. 

As  the  Barcelona  slowly  ascended  against  the  current  on 
our  side  of  Grand  Island,  (belonging  to  the  United  States.)  three 
armed  British  schooners,  besides  batteries  on  the  land,  were 
in  positions,  as  the  day  before,  to  sink  her  as  she  came  out 
from  behind  that  island.  On  the  16th  of  January,  Scott  and 
Governor  Marcy  stood  on  the  American  shore  opposite  that 
point,  watching  events.  The  smoke  of  the  approaching  boat 
could  be  seen  in  the  distance,  and  the  purpose  of  the  British 
was  perfectly  evident  in  all  their  movements.  The  batteries 
on  our  side  were  promptly  put  in  position.  The  matches  were 
lighted.  All  was  ready  to  return  the  British  fire.  There  was 
a  crisis  ! 

The  day  before  this,  when  it  was  supposed  the  Navy  Island 
people  were  coming  up  the  same  channel  in  other  craft,  and 
before  it  was  known  that  the  Barcelona  had  accepted  his  offered 
engagement,  Scott  wrote  on  his  knee,  and  dispatched  by  an 
aid-de-camp,  the  following  note. 

"  To  the  Commanding  Officer  of  the  Armed  British  Vessels  in 
the  Niagara. 

"  Head-quarters,  Eastern  Division  U.  ) 
S.  Army,  two  miles  below  Black  > 
Rock,  January  15th,  1838.  ) 

"  Sir— 

With  his  Excellency  the  Governor  of  New  York,  who 
has  troops  at  hand,  we  are  here  to  enforce  the  neutrality  of  the 


108  LIFE    OF    GENERAL    SCOTT. 

United  States,  and  to  protect  our  own  soil  or  waters  from  viola 
tion.  The  proper  civil  officers  are  also  present  to  arrest,  if 
practicable,  the  leaders  of  the  expedition  on  foot  against  Upper 
Canada. 

"  Under  these  circumstances,  it  gives  me  pain  to  perceive 
the  armed  vessels,  mentioned,  anchored  in  our  waters,  with  the 
probable  intention  to  fire  upon  that  expedition  moving  in  the- 
same  waters. 

"  Unless  the  expedition  should  first  attack — in  which  case 
we  shall  interfere — we  shall  be  obliged  to  consider  a  discharge 
of  shot  or  shell  from  or  into  our  waters,  from  the  armed  schoon 
ers  of  her  Majesty,  as  an  act  seriously  comprorhiting  the  neu 
trality  of  the  two  nations.  I  hope,  therefore,  that  no  such 
unpleasant  incident  may  occur. 

"  I  have  the  honor  to  remain,  &c.,  &c. 

WINFIELD  SCOTT." 

The  same  intimation  was  repeated  and  explained  the  next 
morning,  January  16th,  to  a  captain  of  the  British  army,  who 
had  occasion  to  wait  upon  Scott  on  other  business,  and  who 
immediately  returned.  It  was  just  then  that  the  Barcelona 
moved  up  the  current  of  the  Niagara.  The  cannon  on  either 
shore  were  pointed,  the  matches  lighted,  and  thousands  stood 
in  suspense.  On  the  jutting  pier  of  Black  Rock,  in  view  of  all, 
stood  the  tall  form  of  Scott,  in  full  uniform,  watching  the 
approaching  boat.  On  Scott's  note  and  his  personal  assurances, 
alone  depended  the  question  of  PEACE  OR  WAR.  Happily,  these 
assurances  had  their  just  effect.  The  Barcelona  passed  along. 
The  British  did  not  fire.  The  matches  were  extinguished ; 
the  two  nations,  guided  by  wise  counsels,  resumed  their  usual 
way ;  and  war's  wild  alarms  were  hushed  into  the  whispers 
of  peace. 

Small  a  place  as  this  incident  may  occupy  in  history,  it  was 
a  critical  moment  in  the  affairs  of  nations.  Had  one  British 
gun  been  fired,  and  much  more,  had  the  Barcelona  been  de 
stroyed,  no  authority  or  influence  would  have  restrained  our 
excited  population.  We  should  probably  have  had  an  unpre 
meditated  war ;  one  of  those  calamities  which  nations  have  to 


110  LIFE  OF  GENERAL  SCOTT. 

endure  for  their  sins,  and  which  is  without  the  consoling  and 
self-supporting  consciousness  of  a  great  moral  right.  It  would 
have  been  war  from  an  incident,  and  not  a  national  controversy. 

War  may  be  justified  on  moral  grounds,  when  the  thing  in 
dispute  is  of  small  physical  magnitude,  but  there  must  be  a 
question  of  right  at  the  bottom.  Such  was  the  case  when  Scott, 
on  this  same  Niagara  frontier,  had,  by  glorious  achievement, 
mingled  his  fame  with  the  eternal  voices  of  its  cataract.  Then, 
he  was  contending  for  those  rights  of  man  and  of  citizenship 
without  which  a  nation  could  neither  be  independent,  nor 
respect  itself,  nor  be  respected  by  the  nations  of  the  earth. 
Now,  the  dictate  of  right  was  peace,  a  peace  which  should 
leave  the  people  of  Great  Britain  and  its  colonies  to  settle  their 
own  domestic  government  in  their  own  way,  while  our  citizens 
were  left  undisturbed  in  their  rights,  and  our  shores  untouched 
by  the  hand  of  aggression. 

Soon  after  this  time,  General  Scott  passed  through  Albany, 
when  the  legislature  was  in  session,  and  received  the  attentions 
of  a  large  number  of  public  men  and  other  citizens,  without 
distinction  of  party.  A  public  supper  was  given  him,  princi 
pally  by  members  of  the  legislature,  at  which  the  lieutenant'- 
governor  presided,  and  Governor  Marcy  was  a  guest.  All 
vied  in  expressions  of  respect  for,  and  confidence  in,  the  gallant 
officer  whom  they  had  assembled  to  welcome  to  the  capital. 

Among  the  toasts  given  on  this  occasion,  maybe  cited  the 
following,  as  characteristic  of  the  prevailing  tone  and  spirit — 

"  WINFIELD  SCOTT — not  less  the  scholar  than  the  soldier, 
whose  pen  and  sword  have  been  wielded  with  equal  skill  in  the 
defence  of  his  country." 

"  THE  SOLDIER — who  has  ever  made  the  law  of  the  land  his 
supreme  rule  of  action,  and  who,  while  he  has  always  fulfilled 
its  utmost  requirements,  has  never,  in  a  single  instance,  tran 
scended. its  limits." 

"  OUR  GUEST — the  invincible  champion  of  our  rights,  the 
triumphant  vindicator  of  our  laws." 

A  similar  entertainment  was  given  on  the  following  evening 
at  another  hotel,  the  Honorable  Gulian  C.  Verplanck  presiding. 

The  feelings  and  confidence  of  his  fellow-citizens  were  thus, 


SCOIT  SENT  TO  THE  CHEROKEE  COUNTRY.  Ill 

in  various  ways  and  in  numerous  quarters,  manifested  towards 
the  man  who  was  not  merely  a  soldier,  nor  only  a  leader,  but 
who  was  the  servant  of  the  laws,  a  faithful  citizen,  and  the 
pacificator  of  troubled  communities. 


SCOTT'S    LABORS    IN    REMOVING    THE    CHEROKEES. 

FOR  more  than  ten  years,  extending  from  1828  to  1838,  a 
controversy  was  maintained,  in  various  forms,  between  the 
state  of  Georgia  and  the  Cherokee  tribe  of  Indians,  most  of 
whom  were  residents  of  Georgia,  and  between  the  United  States 
and  each  of  those  parties.  The  subject  of  this  controversy  was 
the  lands  belonging  to  the  Cherokees  in  the  state  of  Georgia. 
As  the  white  settlements  advanced,  the  Indians  were  gradually 
enclosed.  They  had  become  cultivators  of  the  soil.  They 
held  good  farms.  They  had  a  yet  greater  attraction,  in  the 
discovery  of  gold  within  their  territory — that  shining  object, 
which  had  added  new  energy  to  the  enterprise  of  settling  the 
Western  World,  when  as  yet  the  ocean  was  a  trackless  waste, 
and  the  land  an  unsubdued  wild.  It  is  not  surprising  that 
these  attractions  were  enough  to  allure  the  desires  of  the 
whites,  and  occasion  efforts  to  drive  the  Indians  from  their 
lands.  The  only  question  was  the  justice  of  the  means  used 
to  attain  the  end. 

On  the  10th  of  April,  1838,  General  Scott  received  orders  to 
take  the  command  of  the  troops  dispatched  to  the  Cherokee 
country,  and  to  assume  the  general  direction  of  affairs  in  that 
quarter.  Having  concerted  measures  with  the  war  department 
for  the  removal  of  the  Cherokees,  and  for  the  protection  of  the 
neighboring  citizens,  he  entered  upon  his  painful  field  of  labor 
with  that  conscientiousness,  and  that  high  regard  to  duty, 
which  forms  a  distinguished  characteristic  of  his  public  as  well 
as  private  acts. 

On  the  10th  of  May  he  issued  an  address  to  the  Cherokee 
nation,  having,  two  days  before,  reached  the  Cherokee  agency 
in  Tennessee. 


ADDRESS  TO  THE  CHEROKEES.  113 

Address. 

"  Cherokees— The  President  of  the  United  States  has  sent 
me,  with  a  powerful  army,  to  cause  you,  in  obedience  to  the 
treaty  of  1835,  to  join  that  part  of  your  people  who  are  already 
established  in  prosperity  on  the  other  side  of  the  Mississippi. 
Unhappily,  the  two  years  which  were  allowed  for  the  purpose, 
you  have  suffered  to  pass  away  without  following,  and  without 
making  any  preparation  to  follow,  and  now,  or  by  the  time  that 
this  solemn  address  shall  reach  your  distant  settlements,  the 
emigration  must  be  commenced  in  haste,  but,  I  hope,  without 
disorder.  I  have  no  power,  by  granting  a  farther  delay,  to 
correct  the  error  that  you  have  committed.  The  full  moon  of 
May  is  already  on  the  wane,  and  before  another  shall  have 
passed  away,  every  Cherokee  man,  woman,  and  child,  in  those 
states,  must  be  in  motion  to  join  their  brethren  in  the  far  West. 

"  My  friends — This  is  no  sudden  determination  on  the  part 
of  the  President,  whom  you  and  I  must  now  obey.  By  the 
treaty,  the  emigration  was  to  have  been  completed  on  or  before 
the  23d  of  this  month,  and  the  President  has  constantly  kept 
you  warned,  during  the  two  years  allowed,  through  all  his 
officers  and  agents  in  this  country,  that  the  treaty  would  be 
enforced. 

"  I  am  come  to  carry  out  that  determination.  My  troop? 
already  occupy  many  positions  in  the  country  that  you  are  to 
abandon,  and  thousands  and  thousands  are  approaching  from 
every  quarter,  to  render  resistance  and  escape  alike  hopeless. 
All  those  troops,  regular  and  militia,  are  your  friends.  Re 
ceive  them  and  confide  in  them  as  such.  Obey  them  when 
they  tell  you  that  you  can  remain  no  longer  in  this  country. 
Soldiers  are  as  kind-hearted  as  brave,  and  the  desire  of  even 
one  of  us  is  to  execute  our  painful  duty  in  mercy.  We  are 
commanded  by  the  President  to  act  towards  you  in  that  spirit, 
and  such  is  also  the  wish  of  the  whole  people  of  America. 

"  Chiefs,  head  men,  and  'warriors — Will  you  then,  by  re 
sistance,  compel  us  to  resort  to  arms  1  God  forbid  !  Or  will 
you,  by  flight,  seek  to  hide  yourselves  in  mountains  and  forestsr 
and  thus  oblige  us  to  hunt  you  down  1  Remember  that,  in 


114  LIFE  OF  GENERAL  SCOTT. 

pursuit,  it  may  be  impossible  to  avoid  conflicts.  The  blood 
of  the  white  man,  or  the  blood  of  the  red  man,  may  be  spilt, 
and  if  spilt,  however  accidentally,  it  may  be  impossible  for  the 
discreet  and  humane  among  you,  or  among  us,  to  prevent  a 
general  war  and  carnage.  Think  of  this,  my  Cherokee  breth 
ren  !  I  am  an  old  warrior,  and  have  been  present  at  many  a 
scene  of  slaughter;  but  spare  me,  I  beseech  you,  the  horror 
of  witnessing  the  destruction  of  the  Cherokees. 

"  Do  not,  I  invite  you,  even  wait  for  -the  close  approach  of 
the  troops ;  but  make  such  preparations  for  emigration  as  you 
can,  and  hasten  to  this  place,  to  Ross's  Landing,  or  to  Gunter's 
Landing,  where  you  will  all  be  received  in  kindness  by  officers 
selected  for  the  purpose.  You  will  find  food  for  all,  and  clothing 
for  the  destitute,  at  either  of  those  places,  and  thence  at  your 
ease,  and  in  comfort,  be  transported  to  your  new  homes  ac 
cording  to  the  terms  of  the  treaty. 

"  This  is  the  address  of  a  warrior  to  warriors.  May  his 
entreaties  be  kindly  received,  and  may  the  God  of  both  prosper 
the  Americans  and  Cherokees,  and  preserve  them  long  in  peace 
and  friendship  with  each  other. 

"  WINFIELD  SCOTT." 

The  Indians  were  soon  brought  into  the  military  posts,  where 
they  were  amply  provided  for.  Thence  they  were  escorted  to 
emigrating  depots  as  rapidly  as  was  consistent  with  the  collec 
tion  of  their  personal  effects,  their  health,  and  comfort.  By 
tho  middle  of  June  the  operations  in  Georgia  had  been  so  nearly 
completed,  that  orders  were  issued  for  the  honorable  discharge 
of  the  troops  of  that  state.  In  Scott's  order,  high  praise  was 
bestowed  on  Brigadier-General  Charles  Floyd  and  the  troops 
under  his  command,  who  were  all  of  Georgia,  for  the  hand 
some  and  humane  manner  in  which  their  duties  were  per 
formed. 

Scott,  hoping  that  the  Cherokees  in  North  Carolina,  Ten 
nessee,  and  Alabama,  might  be  encouraged  to  enrol  themselves 
voluntarily,  by  the  kind  treatment  shown  to  their  brethren  in 
Georgia,  now  sent  Indian  runners,  who  tendered  their  services, 
to  those  distant  settlements  ;  and  in  the  mean  time  suspended 


X.   DROUGHT   DRIES    TIP    THE    RIVERS.  115 

Further  collections  to  the  20th  of  June.  On  the  morning  of  the 
13th,  those  Indians  were  found  by  the  troops  as  entirely  un 
prepared  as  the  Georgian  Cherokees  had  been ;  yet,  at  the  end 
of  ten  days,  all  but  a  few  stragglers  in  the  mountains  were 
brought  in,  with  their  personal  property.  The  volunteers  were 
discharged  before  the  15th  of  July,  and  as  rapidly  as  arrange 
ments  could  be  made  for  their  being  mustered  and  paid>  except 
a  single  company,  retained  a  little  longer  for  special  service. 
More  than  a  million  of  dollars  was  saved  by  the  rapidity  of 
these  movements  and  discharges.  With  the  exception  of  a  few 
principal  families,  allowed  to  remain  at  their  comfortable  homes 
until  called  for,  and  some  stragglers  in  the  mountains,  the  whole 
body  of  the  Cherokee  nation  had  been  collected  for  emigration 
before  the  middle  of  July,  and  without  shedding  one  drop  of 
blood.  They  were  not  without  arms  and  fastnesses,  nor  with- 
out  courage  for  the  defence  of  their  native  homes.  They  were 
conquered  by  skilful  movements,  and  yet  more  by  generous 
kindness.  All  the  volunteers,  like  the  regulars,  had  caught 
the  spirit  of  Scott's  addresses  and  orders.  It  was  a  pleasant 
and  edifying  scene  to  see  officers  and  men  everywhere  giving 
ready  aid,  in  every  difficulty  and  distress,  to  the  helplessness 
of  age  and  infancy.  Tears  were  doubtless  shed,  and  not  alone 
by  the  Indian  race. 

Scott's  business  up  to  this  date  had  been  simply  militaryv 
To  bring  in  the  Indians,  and  to  turn  them  over  with  guards,  if 
needed,  to  the  civil  agent  for  Cherokee  emigration,  was  the  only 
duty  assigned  him  by  the  government.  That  agent  had  already 
put  in  motion  some  three  thousand  for  their  Western  destina 
tion.  But  now,  the  Hiwassee,  the  Tennessee,  and  the  Arkan 
sas  rivers  had  ceased  to  be  navigable.  A  drought  which  had 
commenced  in  June,  and  which  lasted  to  October,  had  already 
become  distressing.  In  the  next  ten  days,  drinking-water  for 
men  and  horses  near  the  land  route  of  emigration  was  not  to 
be  found,  except  at  intervals  of  ten,  or  more  frequently,  of  thirty 
miles.  Scott,  from  humanity,  and  at  the  instance  of  the  Chero- 
kees,  took  upon  himself  to  stop  the  emigration  until  the  return 
of  the  cool  and  healthy  season.  That  determination  was  sub- 
sequently  approved  at  Washington. 


116  LIFE    OF    GENERAL    SCOTT, 

All  the  principal  Indians  were  first  called  to  head-quarters, 
Scott  spoke  of  the  drought,  stated  his  wish  to  suspend  the 
movement  to  the  West,  the  expense  of  delay,  the  extreme 
inconvenience  to  himself  of  remaining  with  them  till  autumn,  the 
want  also  of  the  regular  troops  elsewhere,  and  the  fear  that 
their  people  might  break  and  disperse,  if  not  kept  within  the 
chain  of  posts  and  sentinels.  Every  chief  instantly  agreed  to 
sign  a  solemn  pledge,  not  only  for  himself  but  for  his  family 
and  friends ;  not  only  to  prevent  dispersion,  but  to  send  runners 
of  their  own,  to  bring  in  the  stragglers  and  those  concealed, 
who  still  remaine'd  out.  This  written  pledge  was  kept  in  good 
faith. 

Scott  immediately  sent  off  three  regiments  of  regulars  to  the 
Canada  frontiers  and  Florida,  where  he  knew  they  were  much 
needed.  The  other  two  were  retained  more  to  aid  and  protect 
than  to  guard  the  Indians. 

The  Cherokees  were  now  distributed  into  three  large  camps  ; 
the  principal,  twelve  miles  by  four,  on  high  and  rolling  ground. 
on  the  Hiwassee,  well  shaded  and  abounding  in  springs  and 
flowing  rivulets.  All  necessary  supplies  were  abundant  and 
good,  including  medicines ;  vaccination  was  introduced  by  the 
personal  influence  of  Scott  against  the  general  prejudice ; 
dram-shops  were  put  under  the  guard  of  troops,  to  prevent  the 
sale  of  liquors  ;  and  numerous  Indian  superiors  were  appointed 
to  visit  every  family  daily,  and  to  report  on  their  wants.  All 
worked  well.  Scott  established  himself  for  long  months  at  the 
agency,  in  the  midst  of  the  principal  camp,  charged  with  in 
numerable  labors  and  cares  for  the  good  of  his  pupils  ;  for  such 
they  were,  both  by  the  relation  they  sustained  to  the  United 
States,  and  the  watching  and  instruction  he  gave  them. 

The  delegation,  with  Ross  the  principal  chief,  returned  from 
Washington  in  July,  when  Scott  received  authority  from  the 
war  department  to  transfer,  by  negotiation,  the  further  emigra 
tion  from  the  civil  agent  to  the  Cherokees  themselves.  The 
proposition  was  submitted  to  the  nation,  and  adopted  with  joy. 
The  same  delegates  were  appointed  to  arrange  the  general  terms 
with  Scott.  The  cost  of  the  movement,  as  in  the  previous 
arrangement,  was  to  be  paid  out  of  the  five  millions  of  dollars 


118  LITE  OF  GENERAL  SCOTT. 

stipulated  by  the  United  States  to  be  given  in  exchange  with 
the  new  country  West,  for  the  one  inhabited  by  the  Cherokees. 
in  the  East. 

To  Scott,  the  sum  to  be  paid  per  capita,  for  the  removal,  as, 
proposed  by  the  delegates,  appeared  much  too  high.  The 
subject  was  referred  back  to  the  general  council  of  the  Chero 
kees,  the  largest  they  had  ever  held,  who  approved  the  new 
terms  proposed  by  Scott.  The  same  authority  appointed  a 
purveyor  of  supplies  on  the  route,  and  the  delegates  specially 
charged  with  that  duty  proceeded  to  enroll  their  people  into 
convenient  parties  for  the  road,  with  a  conductor,  sub-conductor,, 
and  physician,  for  each,  to  collect  wagons,  horses,  and  every 
thing  necessary  for  the  movement,  as  soon  as  the  season  and 
rain  might  permit. 

Here  was  a  wonderful  change.  A  few  months  before, 
seven-tenths  of  the  Cherokees  threatened  to.  die  in  defence  of 
their  ancient  homes.  Now  the  only  contest  among  the  chiefs 
and  parties  was — who  shall  first  take  the  road  to  the  far  West. 
All  were  eager  to  lead  or  to  follow. 

At  length  October  came,  with  some  slight  showers  of  rain, 
and  by  the  16th  of  November  the  last  detachment  was  ia 
motion.  The  sick  and  helpless  only  were  left  to  proceed  by 
steam  on  the  rise  of  the  rivers. 

Scott  followed  the  line  of  emigration  to  Nashville,  in  order 
to  help  and  cheer  on  the  movement.  He  had  intended  to- 
proceed  farther  j  but  an  express  overtook  him  from  Washing 
ton,  with  dispatches,  saying  that  the  Patriots  were  reorganized 
to  the  number  of  eighty  thousand,  and  were  getting  ready  to 
break  into  the  Canadas  at  many  points.  He  instantly  departed 
in  that  direction.  Stopping  nowhere  to  accept  the  public  hon 
ors  tendered  him,  he  arrived  at  Cleveland  and  Detroit  at  critical 
moments.  Thence  he  passed  down  the  frontier  into  Vermont, 
and  completed  the  work  we  have  described  in  the  preceding 
chapter.  He  re-established  peace,  law,  and  order  all  along 
the  disturbed  frontier  of  Canada. 

In  all  this  he  had  moved  with  almost  the  swift  flight  of  the 
birds,  and  his  work  was  completed  in  the  brief  space  of  their 
summer  excursions.  In  this  short  season  had  Scott  performed 


PARTING  FROM  THE  HOME  OF  CHILDHOOD.     119 

the  work  of  Cherokee  emigration,  and  returned  to  new  and  ar 
duous  labors  in  an  opposite  region  and  a  very  different  climate. 
Such  sudden  changes,  and  such  rude  exposures,  are  the  sol 
dier's  lot  in  pursuit  of  duty  and  in  obedience  to  his  country. 

In  this  brief  story  we  have  narrated  the  manner  in  which  the 
Cherokees — fifteen  thousand  in  number — were  carried  froni 
the  homes  of  their  fathers  and  the  graves  of  their  dead.  That 
they  left  them  in  sadness,  and  looked  to  the  uncertain  future 
with  dread  and  dark  foreboding,  none  can  doubt.  However 
adventurous,  far-searching,  or  curious  may  be  the  human  mind 
when  voluntarily  pursuing  its  own  objects,  it  cannot  be  forced 
from  its  ancient  associations,  without  experiencing  a  shock 
similar  to  that  which  uproots  the  aged  tree,  breaking  its 
deepest  roots,  snapping  its  tendrils,  and  blighting  its  softest 
verdure.  This  is  a  shock,  too,  which  is  felt  the  most  in 
the  most  secluded  retreats  of  the  family.  It  touches  the 
hearts  which  have  grown  in  the  shade,  where  few  rays  from 
the  glaring  light  of  the  world  have  ever  fallen.  It  would  not 
be  difficult  to  imagine  some  Indian  woman,  and  perhaps  an 
aged  one,  stopping  alone  by  the  rippling  stream  to  hear  the' 
murmur  of  waters  she  should  hear  no  more — to  break  a  twig 
from  trees  whose  shade  she  should  enjoy  no  longer — to  linger 
round  the  lonely  mound,  which  was  henceforth  to  be  the  only 
memorial  of  her  race — to  cast  one  last  look  on  the  summits  of 
hills,  to  which,  with  the  friends  of  her  youth,  she  had  often 
gazed  in  the  glowing  sunsets  of  summer.  They  fade  now  in 
the  shades  of  evening,  and  she  heaves  the  last  sigh,  drops  her 
last  tear,  and  hills,  and  woods,  and  murmuring  streams,  live 
for  her  only  in  the  memory  of  the  exile  ! 

The  remaining  years  of  her  life  she  spends  in  strange  scenes, 
and  looking  intensely  into  the  future,  hopes,  perhaps,  for 

"  Some  safer  world  in  depths  of  woods  embraced, 
Some  happier  island  in  the  watery  waste, 
Where  slaves  once  more  their  native  land  behold, 
No  fiends  torment,  no  Christians  thirst  for  gold." 

Such  scenes  as  these  may  be  easily  imagined,  and  it  is 
scarcely  possible  they  should  not  have  occurred  in  any  nation, 
savage  or  civilized,  on  leaving  their  native  land.  The  ques- 


120  LIFE  OF  GENERAL  SCOTT. 

tion,  however,  remains,  whether,  in  the  plans  of  Providence, 
and  their  merciful  development,  the  policy  of  the  United  States 
towards  the  Cherokees  has  not  really  been  the  true  policy, 
and  its  effect  for  their  ultimate  good  ?  It  is  certain  that  they 
have  received  a  rich  and  valuable  territory,  where,  on  the 
waters  of  the  Arkansas,  they  yet  cultivate  lands — where  they 
have  organized  a  civil  government,  and  where  they  appear  still 
to  advance  in  numbers  and  prosperity.  Should  this  continue 
to  be  their  history,  may  they  not  hereafter  become  a  State  of 
aboriginal  inhabitants,  in  a  condition  of  civilization  and  Chris 
tianity  ?  If  this  should  happily  be  the  case,  the  Cherokee  State 
will  be  a  monument  enduring  through  after  ages  of  that  wild 
and  singular  race,  who  seemed  the  children  of  the  forest,  defy 
ing  the  scrutiny  of  philosophy,  and  shunning  the  gaze  of  civil 
ized  man.  The  lone  mound  will  not  be  their  only  memorial, 
nor  tradition  their  only  story.  They  will  live  to  enjoy  the 
fruits  of  legal  liberty,  to  extend  the  dominion  of  the  arts,  to 
rest  in  the  shade  of  peace  ;  and,  no  longer  hunters  and  war 
riors,  adorn  the  realms  of  science,  religion,  and  philosophy. 

But  whatever  may  be  thought  of  the  act  or  the  result  of 
removing  the  Indians,  no  one  can  doubt  that  the  part  Scott  had 
in  that  business  was  performed  with  a  skill,  a  humanity,  and  a 
forbearance  worthy  of  much  admiration. 

In  the  National  Intelligencer  of  that  time  there  appeared  an  ar 
ticle  from  a  responsible  writer,  describing  the  character  of  Scott's 
acts,  narrated  in  this  and  the  previous  chapter.  From  that  we 
take  the  following  extract,  as  just  as  it  is  historically  true  : 

"  The  manner  in  which  this  gallant  officer  has  acquitted 
himself  within  the  last  year  upon  our  Canada  frontier,  and 
lately  among  the  Cherokees,  has  excited  the  universal  admira 
tion  and  gratitude  of  the  whole  nation.  Owing  to  his  great 
popularity  in  the  North,  his  thorough  knowledge  of  the  laws 
of  his  own  country,  as  well  as  those  which  govern  nations, 
united  to  his  discretion,  his  great  tact  and  experience,  he  has 
saved  the  country  from  a  ruinous  war  with  Great  Britain. 
And  by  his  masterly  skill  and  energy  among  the  Cherokees, 
united  to  his  noble  generosity  and  humanity,  he  has  not  only 
effected  what  everybody  supposed  could  not  be  done  without 


AN  ACCOUNT. OF  RECENT  EVENTS.         121 

the  most  heart-rending  scenes  of  butchery  and  bloodshed,  but 
he  has  effected  it  by  obtaining  the  esteem  and  confidence  of 
the  poor  Cherokees  themselves.  They  look  upon  him  as  a 
benefactor  and  friend,  and  one  who  has  saved  them  from  entire 
destruction. 

"  All  the  Cherokees  were  collected  for  emigration  without 
bloodshed  or  violence,  and  all  would  have  been  on  their  way 
to  the  West  before  the  middle  of  July,  had  not  humanity  in 
duced  General  Scott  to  stop  the  movement  until  the  1st  of 
September.  Three  thousand  had  been  sent  off  in  the  first  half 
of  June  by  the  superintendent,  before  the  general  took  upon 
himself  the  responsibility  of  stopping  the  emigration,  from  feel 
ings  which  must  do  everlasting  honor  to  his  heart. 

"  An  approval  of  his  course  had  been  sent  on  by  the  War 
Department  before  his  report,  giving  information  that  he  had 
stopped  the  emigration,  had  reached  the  seat  of  government. 

"  In  the  early  part  of  January  last,  the  President  asked  Con 
gress  for  enlarged  powers,  to  enable  him  to  maintain  our  neu 
tral  obligations  to  England  ;  that  is,  to  tranquillize  the  Canadian 
frontiers. 

"  Before  the  bill  passed  Congress,  General  Scott  had  finished 
the  work,  and  effected  all  its  objects.  These,  too,  he  effected 
by  flying  from  one  end  of  the  frontier  to  the  other  in  the  dead 
of  winter,  and  during  the  severest  and  coldest  period  of  it. 

"  He  returns  to  Washington,  and  is  immediately  ordered  to 
the  Cherokee  nation,  to  take  charge  of  the  very  difficult  and 
hazardous  task  to  his  own  fame  of  removing  those  savages 
from  their  native  land.  Some  of  his  best  friends  regretted, 
most  sincerely,  that  he  had  been  ordered  on  this  service ;  and, 
knowing  the  disposition  of  the  world  to  cavil  and  complain 
without  cause,  had  great  apprehensions  that  he  would  lose  a 
portion  of  the  popularity  he  had  acquired  by  his  distinguished 
success  on  the  Canadian  frontier.  But,  behold  the  manner  in 
which  this  last  work  has  been  performed  !  There  is  so  much 
of  noble  generosity  of  character  about  Scott,  independent  of  his 
skill  and  bravery  as  a  soldier,  that  his  life  has  really  been  one 
of  romantic  beauty  and  interest." 

The  truth  of  this  picture  may  be  judged  by  the  facts  of  this 

6 


122  LIFE    OF    GENERAL    SCOTT. 

history.  But  whatever  opinion  may  be  formed  on  that  point, 
there  have  been  men  of  the  most  eminent  intelligence,  them 
selves  disinterested  and  capable  of  judging,  who  have  formed 
the  same  estimate  of  the  character  and  acts  of  Scott.  We 
subjoin  the  following  testimony  of  the  REV.  DOCTOR  CHANNING, 
in  a  work  published  in  Boston  : 

"  To  this  distinguished  man  belongs  the  rare  honor  of  uniting 
with  military  energy  and  daring,  the  spirit  of  a  philanthropist. 
His  exploits  in  the  field,  which  placed  him  in  the  first  rank  of 
our  soldiers,  have  been  obscured  by  the  purer  and  more  lasting 
glory  of  a  pacificator,  and  of  a  friend  of  mankind.  In  the 
whole  history  of  the  intercourse  of  civilized  with  barbarous  or 
half-civilized  communities,  we  doubt  whether  a  brighter  page 
can  be  found  than  that  which  records  his  agency  in  the  removal 
of  the  Cherokees.  As  far  as  the  wrongs  done  to  this  race  can 
be  atoned  for,  General  Scott  has  made  the  expiation. 

"  In  his  recent  mission  to  the  disturbed  borders  of  our  coun 
try,  he  has  succeeded,  not  so  much  by  policy  as  by  the  noble 
ness  and  generosity  of  his  character,  by  moral  influences,  by 
the  earnest  conviction  with  which  he  has  enforced  on  all  with 
whom  he  has  had  to  do,  the  obligations  of  patriotism,  justice, 
humanity,  and  religion.  It  would  not  be  easy  to  find  among 
us  a  man  who  has  won  a  purer  fame  ;  and  I  am  happy  to  offer 
this  tribute,  because  I  would  do  something,  no  matter  how 
little,  to  hasten  the  time,  when  the  spirit  of  Christian  humanity 
shall  be  accounted  an  essential  attribute  and  the  brightest 
ornament  of  a  public  man." 


GENERAL  SCOTT  S  AGENCY    IN    SETTLING    THE    MAINE    BOUNDARY. 

FROM  the  land  of  the  Cherokees  and  the  scene  of  their  exnV, 
General  Scott  hastened  back  to  that  northern  frontier,  which 
had  so  nearly  become  the  theatre  of  war.  He  again  visited 
and  tranquillized  the  Canadian  borders,  from  Detroit  along 
almost  the  whole  line  to  Northern  Vermont.  Here  he  learned 


SETTLEMENT  OF  THE  MAINE  BOUNDARY.      123 

that  hostile  movements  were  on  foot  on  both  sides  of  what  was 
then  known  as  the  DISPUTED  TERRITORY.  This  was  a  territory 
on  the  borders  of  the  state  of  Maine,  the  boundaries  of  which  the 
United  States  and  Great  Britain  had  not  been  able  exactly  to 
ascertain,  so  as  to  determine  satisfactorily  the  line  between  the 
two  nations. 

Hearing  of  these  difficulties  and  of  this  danger,  and  fearing 
that  letters  to  him  might  be  misdirected  in  consequence  of  the 
rapidity  of  his  movements,  Scott  hastened  immediately  to 
Washington.  He  presented  himself  at  the  War  Department  a 
day  and  a  half  in  advance  of  the  mail  from  the  Canada  line. 

The  condition  of  affairs  on  his  arrival,  was  perilous  to  the 
peace,  not  merely  of  this  country  or  of  Great  Britain,  but  of 
the  civilized  world  ;  for  it  can  hardly  be  supposed  that  the  two 
greatest  commercial  nations  could  come  in  conflict  on  every 
sea,  and  in  almost  every  port  of  the  globe,  and  yet  not  involve 
other  nations,  or  that  war  would  cease  with  the  cessation  of  the 
immediate  cause.  The  passion  for  war  is  contagious.  The 
bystanders  in  the  play  of  battles  feel  an  instinctive  impulse  to 
share  in  the  action.  Their  reason  and  their  conscience  can 
hardly  restrain  them  from  feeling,  and  even  believing,  that 
their  interest,  their  honor,  or  their  fame  requires  that  they  also 
should  enter  the  arena  of  a  bloody  ambition,  pursuing  the  re 
wards  of  conquest  or  the  glory  of  victories.  Hence  it  is  that 
a  war  between  leading  nations,  especially  between  the  new  and 
old  systems  of  government,  would,  reasoning  from  experience 
and  probabilities,  result  in  one  of  those  general  and  long- 
continued  seasons  of  bloodshed,  revolutions,  and  conquests, 
which  have  so  often  impoverished  the  substance,  and  corrupted 
the  morals  of  nations. 

When  Scott  arrived  at  Washington,  such  a  crisis  seemed  to 
be  tangibly  and  visibly  present.  The  President  of  the  United 
States,  Mr.  Van  Buren,  just  then  announced  to  Congress,  by 
special  message,  that  "  the  peace  of  the  two  nations  is  daily 
and  imminently  endangered."  The  President  also  said,  that  in 
a  certain  event,  he  should  feel  himself  bound  to  call  out  the 
militia  to  repel  invasion,  and  he  invited  from  Congress  such 
action  as  it  deemed  expedient.  So  extraordinary  was  the  dan- 


124  LIFE  OF  GENERAL  SCOTT. 

ger,  that  Congress  adopted  extraordinary  measures.  In  five 
days,  an  act  was  passed  authorizing  the  President,  if  he  deemed 
best,  to  call  out  the  militia  for  six  months,  to  accept,  if  neces 
sary,  the  services  of  fifty  thousand  volunteers  ;  and  appropria 
ting  ten  millions  of  dollars  for  these  objects. 

Scott  having  arrived  at  Washington,  had  interviews  with  the 
President,  with  the  Secretaries  of  State  and  War,  and  with  the 
committees  in  Congress  on  foreign  and  military  affairs.  He 
assisted  in  drawing  and  urging  the  bills  to  put  at  the  disposition 
of  the  Executive  fifty  thousand  volunteers,  and  ten  millions 
of  dollars  to  meet  exigencies.  This  being  done,  he  immedi 
ately  departed,  and  reached  Augusta,  the  seat  of  governmqnt 
in  Maine,  in  about  eight  days  after  his  arrival  at  Washington. 
It  turned  out  that  had  he  been  three  days  later,  he  would  have 
found  a  war  made  to  his  hands. 

Passing  through  Boston,  and  having  official  business  with 
Governor  Everett,  of  Massachusetts,  he  repaired  to  the  state- 
house,  where  that  accomplished  officer  and  scholar  addressed 
him  in  substance  as  follows  : — 

"  GENERAL  : — 

"  I  take  great  pleasure  in  introducing  you  to  the  members 
of  the  Executive  Council  of  Massachusetts  ;  I  need  not  say  that 
you  are  already  known  to  them  by  reputation.  They  are 
familiar  with  your  fame  as  it  is  recorded  in  some  of  the  arduous 
and  honorable  fields  of  the  country's  struggles.  We  rejoice 
in  meeting  you  on  this  occasion,  charged  as  you  are  with  a 
most  momentous  mission  by  the  President  of  the  United  States. 
We  are  sure  you  are  intrusted  with  a  duty  most  grateful  to 
your  feelings — that  of  averting  an  appeal  to  arms.  We  place 
unlimited  reliance  on  your  spirit,  energy,  and  discretion. 
Should  you  unhappily  fail  in  your  efforts,  under  the  instructions 
of  the  President,  to  restore  harmony,  we  know  that  you  are 
equally  prepared  for  a  still  more  responsible  duty.  Should 
that  event  unhappily  occur,  I  beg  you  to  depend  on  the  firm 
support  of  the  Commonwealth  of  Massachusetts." 

His  reception  by  the  people  and  authorities  of  Maine  at 
Augusta,  the  seat  of  government,  was  such  as  to  increase  his 


SETTLEMENT  OF  THE  MAINE  BOUNDARY.      125 

power  of  harmonizing  opposite  feelings,  by  showing  the  strong 
sympathy  between  himself  and  the  body  of  the  people.  On 
Thursday,  March  7th  1839,  General  Scott  met  the  citizens 
of  Augusta,  representatives  and  soldiers,  in  the  Legislative 
Hall.  A  correspondent  of  the  Portland  Argus  says  : 

"  The  hall  was  full  and  the  galleries  were  crowded.  Many 
could  not  get  places.  The  greeting  of  the  general  to  the 
officers  and  soldiers  introduced  to  him  was  peculiarly  happy. 
In  one  of  the  representatives,  Mr.  Frost  of  Bethel,  he  recognised 
a  fellow-soldier  of  the  last  war.  They  were  both  wounded  in 
the  same  battle.  The  interview  was  enthusiastic.  The  gen 
eral  seemed  hardly  willing  to  part  with  his  hand. 

"After  a  half  hour  spent  in  these  mutual  interchanges  of 
friendship,  Mr.  Allen  of  Bangor,  in  a  few  remarks,  welcomed 
General  Scott  among  us,  to  which  welcoming  he  replied  by 
thanking  the  audience  for  the  hearty  reception  they  had  given 
him  in  the  capitol  of  Maine,  and  by  expressing  his  happiness  at 
being  enabled,  face  to  face,  to  see  so  many  of  her  sons — and, 
should  war  come,  he  should  be  glad  to  be  found  shoulder  to 
shoulder,  breast  to  breast  with  such  soldiers." 

When  Major-General  Scott  arrived  in  Maine,  it  so  happened, 
that  he  had  with  him  an  unanswered  private  letter  from  Sir 
John  Harvey,  *the  governor  of  New  Brunswick,  written  before 
the  troubles  on  the  borders  of  that  province,  and  received  at 
the  far  South.  A  reply  to  that  friendly  letter  brought  on  at 
once  a  semi-official  correspondence  between  the  parties,  which 
soon  became  brisk  and  public. 

Standing  high  in  the  confidence  of  his  own  government,  and 
being  above  pique  and  petty  advantages,  all  repugnance  to 
wards  the  first  step,  which  was  required  by  the  resolution  that 
passed  the  Maine  Legislature,  towards  preserving  the  peace 
of  the  borders,  and  the  consequent  peace  of  two  great  nations, 
on  honorable  terms,  was  soon  conquered  by  the  governor  of 
New  Brunswick.  When  this  was  done,  Scott  felt  himself  at 
liberty  to  appeal  to  the  same  generous  sentiments  on  the  part  of 
the  Maine  authorities. 

The  governor  of  Maine  became  satisfied  that  he  might  take 
tin  second  step,  but  thought  lie  could  not  withdraw  the  troops 

*  The  snmc  Harvey  mentioned  on  p.  3  )  o  this  work. 


126  LIFE    OF    GENERAL    SCOTT. 

from  the  disputed  territory  without  the  concurrence  of  the 
Legislature.  With  his  approbation,  Scott  had  now  to  urge  his 
suit  for  peace  and  compromise  with  the  members  of  the  Legis 
lature.  Both  political  parties  had  been  equally  excited  against 
New  Brunswick  and  Great  Britain  about  the  boundary  ;  but 
both  were  jealous  and  watchful  of  each  other.  Each  had, 
within  a  few  years,  gained  predominance,  by  the  use  of  this 
foreign  question,  It  was  natural  they  should  think,  that  a  too 
ready  yielding  might  be  unpopular  at  home.  It  was  therefore 
necessary  that  the  members  of  these  political  parties  in  the 
Legislature  should  make  a  simultaneous  movement.  Scott 
had  succeeded  in  reconciling  the  leading  members  of  the  domi 
nant  party  in  Maine  to  the  measures  of  their  political  friends 
at  Washington  ;  he  had  succeeded  in  obtaining  a  friendly  con 
cession  from  the  Governor  of  New  Brunswick  ;  and  now  he 
had  the  address  to  reconcile  opposing  parties  in  the  Legislature. 
We  have  been  told,  and  indeed  the  newspapers  of  the  day 
show  something  of  it,  that  this  was  a  remarkably  interesting 
scene.  The  details  belong  chiefly  to  that  private  history  which 
public  reports  do  not  reach,  and  which  rarely  or  never  are 
developed  till  another  generation. 

The  resolutions  of  Maine  were  passed  on  the  20th  instant. 
By  that  time  Scott  was  prepared  with  his  memorandum,  signed 
by  Sir  John  Harvey,  and  containing  all  that  was  necessary  to 
establish  peace.  Governor  Fairfield  immediately  added  his 
signature.  Copies  were  duly  interchanged  by  General  Scott. 
Tranquillity  was  restored  on  the  borders,  and  the  subject  of 
peace  and  war  transferred  to  the  national  authorities. 

The  resolutions  of  the  Maine  Legislature  were  passed  on  the 
20th  of  March,  and  on  the  21st  instant,  General  Scott  sent  his 
official  communication  to  Sir  John  Harvey,  which  was  the 
memorandum  of  what  was  assented  to  by  the  Governors  of 
Maine  and  New  Brunswick. 

To  show  the  estimate  which  Sir  John  Hawey  placed  in  the 
ability,  integrity,  and  honest  purposes  of  Gjneral  Scott,  we 
subjoin  the  following  letter. 


SETTLEMENT  OF  THE  MAINE  BOUNDARY.      127 

11  MY  BEAR  GENERAL  SCOTT — 

"  Upon  my  return  from  closing  the  ses 
sion  of  the  Provincial  Legislature,  I  was  gratified  by  the 
I'eceipt  of  your  very  satisfactory  communication  of  the  21st 
instant.  My  reliance  upon  you,  my  dear  general,  has  led  me 
to  give  my  willing  assent  to  the  proposition  which  you  have 
made  yourself  the  very  acceptable  means  of  conveying  to  me  ; 
and  I  trust  that  as  far  as  the  province  and  the  state  respectively 
are  concerned,  an  end  will  be  put  by  it  to  all  border  disputes, 
and  a  way  opened  to  an  amicable  adjustment  of  the  national 
question  involved.  I  shall  hope  to  receive  the  confirmation  of 
this  arrangement  on  the  part  of  the  State  of  Maine  at  as  early 
a  period  as  may  be  practicable." 

The  people  of  the  United  States,  like  Sir  John  Harvey,  looked 
upon  Scott  as  the  PACIFICATOR,  who  had  now  made  himself  as 
much  the  friend  of  peace,  as  he  once  had  been  distinguished  as 
the  warrior  of  battles. 

It  was  but  a  short  time  after  this  transaction,  that  another 
distinguished  man,  of  singular  ability  and  great  influence,  had 
the  honor  of  terminating  this  vexed  question,  of  fixing,  so  that 
it  could  no  longer  be  mistaken,  our  northern  boundary,  from  the 
foot  of  the  Rocky  Mountains,  by  the  Lake  of  the  Woods,  and 
down  the  St.  Lawrence,  and  through  this  disputed  territory  to 
the  Atlantic.  Met  in  the  same  peaceful  spirityby  the  British 
minister,  he  was  able  to  close  these  harassing  difficulties,  to 
quiet  the  disturbed  minds  of  the  people,  and  in  this  olive-branch, 
plucked  from  the  midst  of  agitated  waters,  offer  to  the  nations 
another  evidence  that  a  kindlier  and  better  spirit  had  begun  to 
govern  human  affairs.  He  had  already  been  the  strongest 
actor  in  forensic  combats,  the  noblest  orator  of  senate  halls ; 
and  the  WASHINGTON  TREATY,  negotiated  on  the  part  of  the 
United  States  l>y  Daniel  Webster,  received  the  speedy  confir 
mation  of  the  Senalo. 


128  LIFE  OF  GENERAL  SCOTT. 


GENERAL  SCOTT  ORDERED  TO  MEXICO. 

the  information  reached  Washington,  in  May,  1846, 
that  the  Mexican  forces  had  crossed  the  Rio  Grande,  the 
President  of  the  United  States  immediately  communicated  to 
General  Scott  his  intention  of  sending  him  to  the  army  to  as 
sume  the  chief  command.  General  Taylor  had  been  placed 
in  command  of  the  troops,  then  in  the  presence  of  the  enemy, 
on  the  recommendation  of  General  Scott,  who  well  knew  that 
a  proper  occasion  only  was  necessary  for  a  development  of 
those  brilliant  qualities  of  soldiership  which  have  since  render 
ed  the  name  of  Taylor  so  illustrious. 

Not  wishing  to  assume  the  immediate  command  of  the 
army,  and  thus  snatch  from  his  old  companion  in  arms  the 
glory  he  was  about  to  acquire  ;  nor  willing,  at  the  same  time, 
to  decline  a  service  corresponding  to  his  rank,  he  suggested 
to  the  President,  through  the  Secretary  of  War,  that  he  be 
permitted  during  the  summer  months  to  collect  and  drill  the 
troops  destined  for  service  in  Mexico — to  collect  the  materiel 
of  the  army,  and,  after  the  wet  season  on  the  Rio  Grande  had 
passed,  to  join  General  Taylor  with  such  additional  forces  as 
would  secure  with  certainty  the  objects  of  the  campaign,  and 
at  the  same  time  respect  the  well-established  military  usage,, 
"that  a  junior  of  distinguished  merit  ought  to  be  superse 
ded  by  a  senior  in  rank,  only  by  the  addition  of  large  rein 
forcements."  The  spirit  in  which  these  suggestions  were  re 
ceived  by  the  President  and  Secretary  of  War,  evinced  a  want 
of  confidence  in  the  plans  proposed  by  General  Scott ;  and  a 
fear  lest  the  political  effect  of  the  measure  might  prove  inju 
rious  to  the  administration,  was  doubtless  the  main  reason 
which  caused  the  order  to  be  countermanded. 

Smarting  under  a  rebuke  so  little  deserved,  General  Scott 
addressed  a  letter  to  the  President,  recapitulating  the  difficul 
ties  that  lay  in  the  way  of  immediate  action  on  the  Rio  Grande 
— stated  anew  his  plans  for  prosecuting  the  war — and  concluded 
by  reminding  the  President,  that  no  general,  exercising  the 


ORDERED    TO    MEXICO.  129 

difficult  function  of  a  distant  command,  could  feel  secure  with 
out  the  support  and  confidence  of  his  government  at  home. 
He  said,  in  terms,  what  General  Taylor  has  so  painfully  real 
ized,  "  that  the  enemy  in  front  is  not  half  so  much  to  be  feared 
as  an  attack  from  the  rear.'' 

The  views  of  General  Scott,  set  forth  in  this  correspondence, 
have  been  realized  by  the  events  that  have  since  transpired, 
and  what  seemed  at  the  time  to  be  but  vague  opinion  has  now 
become  a  matter  of  history.  After  the  correspondence  with, 
the  War  Department  reached  the  banks  of  the  Rio  Grande, 
officers  near  General  Taylor,  and  known  to  be  his  personal 
friends,  addressed  letters  to  the  friends  of  General  Scott,  ex 
pressing  the  kindest  feelings  on  the  part  of  General  Taylor, 
and  the  hope  that  the  General  might  yet  assume  the  command 
of  the  army.  Being  satisfied  that  his  presence  on  the  Rio 
Grande  would  not  be  unacceptable  to  General  Taylor,  he  ad 
dressed  a  letter  to  the  Secretary  of  War,  early  in  September, 
requesting  to  be  assigned  to  that  command,  to  which  request 
he  received  a  rude  and  flat  denial. 

About  this  time,  as  subsequently  appeared  by  the  statements 
of  Senator  Benton,  the  President  decided  to  create  the  office  of 
lieutenant-general,  and  thus  supersede,  not  only  the  scar- 
marked  hero  of  Chippewa  and  Niagara,  but  also  to  tear  the 
fresh  laurels  of  Palo  Alto  and  Resaca  de  la  Palma  from  the 
brow  of  the  gallant  Taylor.  After  this  plan  had  been  finally 
arranged,  the  President  sent  for  General  Scott,  and  confided  to 
him  the  command  of  the  army  in  Mexico,  and  gave  to  him  the 
most  solemn  assurance  of  his  confidence  and  support.  The 
following  order  was  from  the  Secretary  of  War : — 

WAR  DEPARTMENT,  WASHINGTON,  t 
November  23d,  1846.  f 

Sm — The  President,  several  days  since,  communicated  in  person  to  yon 
his  orders  to  repair  to  Mexico,  to  take  the  command  of  the  forces  there 
assembled,  and  particularly  to  organize  and  set  on  foot  an  expedition  to 
operate  on  the  Gulf  coast,  if,  on  arriving  at  the  theatre  of  action,  you  shall 
deem  it  to  be  practicable.  It  is  not  proposed  to  control  your  operations  by 
definite  and  positive  instructions,  but  you  are  left  to  prosecute  them  as  your 
judgment,  under  a  full  view  of  all  the  circumstances,  shall  dictate.  The 
work  is  before  you,  and  the  means  provided,  or  to  be  provided,  for  accom- 

6* 


130  LIFfc    OF    GENERAL    SCOTT. 

plishing  it,  are  committed  to  you,  in  the  full  confidence  that  you  will  use 
them  to  the  best  advantage. 

The  objects  which  it  is  desirable  to  obtain  have  been  indicated,  and  it  is 
hoped  that  you  will  have  the  requisite  force  to  accomplish  them. 

Of  this  you  must  be  the  judge,  when  preparations  are  made,  and  the  time 
for  action  arrived.  Very  respectfully, 

Your  obedient  servant, 

W.  L.  MARCY, 
GENERAL  WINFIELD  SCOTT.  Secretary  of  War. 

General  Scott  immediately  made  all  the  arrangements  to 
carry  the  plan  into  full  effect.  The  requisite  number  of  trans 
ports  were  to  be  provided,  surf-boats  for  the  landing  of  the 
troops  constructed,  a  train  of  siege  ordnance  was  to  be  collected 
and  sent  forward,  and  ten  new  regiments  were  to  be  added  to 
the  line  of  the  army,  at  the  earliest  possible  moment  after  the 
meeting  of  Congress.  In  a  very  few  days  all  the  preliminary 
arrangements  were  completed,  and  General  Scott  left  Wash 
ington  on  the  24th  November,  in  the  full  belief  that  he  enjoyed 
.the  confidence  of  the  government,  and  that  the  conduct  of  the 
war,  under  general  instructions,  had  been  entirely  confided  to 
ihis  discretion  and  judgment. 

.Immediately  on  the  opening  of  Congress  the  project  of  cre 
ating  a  higher  military  grade  was  brought  forward,  and  the 
friends  of  generals  Scott  and  Taylor  saw  with  alarm  that  a 
plan  was  snaturing  by  which  they  were  both  to  be  degraded  to 
subordinate  stations,  and  the  entire  direction  of  affairs  in  Mexico 
confided  to  other  and  untried  hands.  The  friends  of  General 
Scott  now  saw  that  his  apprehensions  of  an  attack  "  from  the 
rear,"  and  which  had  been  frankly  expressed  in  his  former 
letters,  were  indeed  but  too  well  founded  ;  and  that  notwith 
standing  the  assurance  given  on  his  departure  from  Washing 
ton  for  the  army,  of  the  full  and  cordial  support  of  the  govern 
ment,  the  -plan  of  wresting  from  him  the  command,  at  the 
earliest  possible  day,  was  then  matured,  and  ready  for  speedy 
execution.  In  view  of  all  the  circumstances,  it  is,  perhaps, 
not  uncharitable  to  suppose  that  he  was  selected  for  that  com 
mand,  for  the  purpose  of  stirring  up  a  spirit  of  rivalry  between 
his  friends  and  those  of  General  Taylor,  and  thus  affording  a 
plausible  pretext  for  superseding  them  both. 


SCOTT    REACHES    THE    ARMY.  131 

On  the  30th  of  November  General  Scott  sailed  from  New 
York,  in  the  fullest  confidence  that  the  government  was  act 
ing  in  good  faith,  and  that  every  means  would  be  furnished 
him  for  the  prosecution  of  the  war.  Little  did  he  then  sup 
pose,  that  before  he  could  reach  the  theatre  of  active  opera 
tions  the  government  which  had  selected  and  sent  him,  would 
attempt  to  degrade  him  in  the  eyes  of  the  world,  by  declaring, 
in  effect,  that  he  was  unfit  for  the  very  place  to  which  he  had 
been  so  recently  appointed. 

With  the  generous  confidence  of  a  brave  soldier,  who  had 
often  met  the  enemy  in  deadly  conflict,  he  received  through 
the  President  the  plighted  faith  of  the  nation  that  all  was 
right.  The  President  saw  him  depart  in  the  fulness  of  this 
confidence,  and  yet  before  he  reached  the  army,  the  proposi 
tion  to  supersede  him  was  already  there.  Yes,  the  very 
army  into  which  he  was  to  breathe  the  inspiration  of  hope — 
which  he  was  to  train  and  prepare  for  the  deadly  conflicts 
that  awaited  them — was  informed,  in  advance,  that  the  presi 
dent  had  no  confidence  in  their  commander-in-chief. 

General  Scott  reached  the  Rio  Grande  about  the  first  of 
January.  Early  in  the  month  it  became  evident  that  some 
of  the  principal  arrangements  for  the  attack  on  Vera  Cruz 
were  not  likely  to  be  carried  out  by  the  government.  The 
bill  for  raising  the  ten  additional  regiments  was  lost  sight  of 
by  the  administration,  in  the  desire  to  carry  their  favorite 
project  of  placing  a  political  partisan  at  the  head  of  the  army ; 
and  this  bill,  which  ought  to  have  been  passed  in  the  first  week 
of  the  session,  was  not  finally  disposed  of  till  a  day  or  two 
before  the  adjournment. 

What  was  the  condition  of  things  in  Mexico  at  this  critical 
period  ? 

Santa  Anna,  with  a  force  of  twenty-two  thousand  men,  was 
at  San  Louis  Potosi,  a  fortified  city  containing  sixty  thousand 
inhabitants,  and  about  equally  distant  from  Monterey,  Vera 
Cruz,  and  Mexico. 

General  Taylor  was  in  the  vicinity  of  Monterey,  in  the 
command  of  a  force  of  about  eighteen  thousand  men,  occupy 
ing  the  long  line  from  Saltillo  to  Camargo,  and  thence  to  the 


132  LIFE    OF    GENERAL    SCOTT. 

mouth  of  the  Rio  Grande,  where  General  Scott  had  just  ar 
rived  with  a  small  force,  for  the  purpose  of  attacking  Vera 
Cruz  as  soon  as  possible.  He  well  knew  that  the  vomit  o  makes 
its  appearance  there  in  the  early  spring,  and  that  delay  would 
be  fatal.  The  transports,  stores,  and  munitions,  were  begin 
ning  to  arrive.  What  was  to  be  done  ?  Was  the  expedition 
against  Vera  Cruz  to  be  abandoned,  or  was  General  Scott  to 
go  forward  and  do  the  best  he  could  under  circumstances  so 
discouraging  ?  He  adopted  the  latter  alternative.  He  reviewed 
all  the  disposable  forces  within  his  command,  and  carefully 
weighed  chances  and  probabilities.  He  forwarded  to  General 
Taylor  a  full  plan  of  his  proposed  operations.  By  the  capture 
and  assassination  of  Lieutenant  Ritchie,  the  bearer  of  these 
dispatches,  the  plans  were  fully  disclosed  to  Santa  Anna,  and 
he  became  apprized  that  Vera  Cruz  was  to  be  the  main  point 
of  attack.  At  Vera  Cruz,  and  its  immediate  vicinity,  there 
were  six  or  seven  thousand  men,  and  a  much  larger  number 
could  be  collected  from  the  adjoining  country  on  a  short  no 
tice.  Would  Santa  Anna  break  up  his  camp  at  San  Louis 
Potosi,  and  march  on  Vera  Cruz — fill  the  city  and  castle  with 
his  best  troops,  and  oppose  the  landing  of  General  Scott  with 
a  selected  army  of  forty  thousand  men  ?  Or,  was  he  likely 
to  abandon  the  town  and  castle  to  their  fate,  thus  leaving  open 
the  road  to  Mexico,  and  march  with  his  whole  force  against 
General  Taylor,  over  a  desert  of  150  miles,  with  a  certainty 
of  having  to  encounter  his  enemy  either  in  the  defiles  of  the 
mountains  or  from  behind  the  impregnable  battlements  of 
Monterey  ? 

Under  such  circumstances  it  became  the  duty  of  General 
Scott  so  to  divide  the  forces  of  the  Rio  Grande  as  would  be 
most  likely  to  meet  any  contingency  that  might1  arise.  He 
collected  the  regular  infantry — for  these  might  be  necessary  to 
carry  with  the  bayonet  the  fortified  city  and  castle  of  Vera 
Cruz.  He  left  within  the  limits  of  General  Taylor's  com 
mand,  about  ten  thousand  volunteers  and  several  companies  of 
the  best  artillery  of  the  regular  army.  These  General  Tay 
lor  might  have  concentrated  at  Monterey,  arid  General  Scott 
suggested  to  him,  in  his  instructions,  to  do  so,  if  it  became  ne- 


SIEGE    OF    VERA    CRUZ.  133 

cessary.  With  this  comparatively  small  force,  General  Tay 
lor  not  only  maintained  all  the  posts  within  his  command,  but 
with  the  one  half  of  it  achieved  the  memorable  victory  of 
Buena  Vista. 

General  Scott  assigned  twelve  thousand  men  to  the  expedi 
tion  against  Vera  Cruz,  and  had  Santa  Anna  concentrated  his 
forces  at  that  point,  the  disparity  of  numbers  would  have  been 
much  greater  than  at  Buena  Vista.  These  remarks  are  not 
made  for  the  purpose  of  comparing  the  skill,  or  the  conduct,  or 
the  claims  to  public  gratitude  of  the  two  distinguished  generals 
who  have  so  well  fulfilled  every  trust  reposed  in  them  by  their 
country  ;  but  simply  to  show  that  in  the  disposition  of  the 
forces  made  by  General  Scott,  he  did  not  take  a  larger  portion 
for  his  own  command  than  the  interests  of  the  service  impera 
tively  demanded. 

The  troops  which  were  recalled  from  the  upper  Rio  Grande 
halted  for  a  few  days  at  the  mouth  of  the  river,  and  were  then 
taken  on  board  transports,  and  joined  others  who  had  made 
their  rendezvous  at  the  island  of  Lobos,  about  125  miles  west 
and  north  of  the  city  of  Vera  Cruz.  The  troops  being  thus 
collected,  the  whole  armament  proceeded  to  Antonia  Lizardo. 


SIEGE    AND    CAPTURE    OF    VERA    CRUZ. 

ON  the  morning  of  the  7th  of  March,  General  Scott,  in  a 
steamer,  with  Commodore  Connor  reconnoitred  the  city,  for 
the  purpose  of  selecting  the  best  landing-place  for  the  army. 
The  spot  selected  was  the  shore  west  of  the  island  of  Sacri- 
ficios.  The  anchorage  was  too  narrow  for  a  large  number  of 
vessels,  and  on  the  morning  of  the  9th  of  March  the  troops 
were  removed  from  the  transports  to  the  ships  of  war.  The 
fleet  then  set  sail — General  Scott  in  the  steamship  .Massachu 
setts,  leading  the  van.  As  he  passed  through  the  squadron, 
his  tall  form,  conspicuous  on  the  deck,  attracted  the  eyes  of 
soldier  and  of  sailor ;  a  cheer  burst  spontaneously  forth,  and 
from  vessel  to  vessel  was  echoed,  and  answered  through  the 

12 


134  LIFE    OF    GENERAL    SCOTT. 

line.  The  voices  of  veterans,  and  of  new  recruits — of  those 
who  had  been  victorious  at  Monterey,  and  of  those  who  hoped 
for  victories  in  the  future — were  mingled  in  loud  acclamation 
for  him,  whose  character  inspired  confidence,  and  whose  ac 
tions  were  already  embodied  in  the  glorious  history  of  their 
country ! 

Near  Sacrificios  the  landing  commenced .  It  must  be  observed 
at  this  point,  that  every  man  expected  to  be  met  at  the  land 
ing  ;  for  such,  in  military  judgment,  should  have  been  the 
course  of  the  enemy,  and  such  would  have  been  the  case  had 
the  landing  been  made  at  the  point  where  the  enemy  expected 
it,  and  where  his  forces  were  collected.  Preparations  were 
therefore  made  for  any  possible  contingency.  Two  steamers 
and  five  gunboats,  arranged  in  line,  covered  the  landing. 
Five  thousand  five  hundred  troops  embarked  in  sixty-seven  surf- 
boats.  The  signal-gun  was  fired.  The  seamen  bent  to  their 
oars,  and  in  a  magnificent  semicircle  the  boats  swept  rapidly 
towards  the  beach.  Every  man  is  anxious  to  be  first.  They 
plunge  into  the  water  before  they  reach  the  shore !  they  rush 
through  the  sand-hills !  and  with  loud  shouts  they  press  for 
ward  !  They  wave  the  flag  of  their  country  in  the  land  of  the 
Aztecs !  Where  are  their  comrades  1  They  also  soon  em 
bark — they  hurry  through  the  water — they  land  in  safety — 
they  rejoin  their  companions — they  return  shout  for  shout,  to 
friends  in  the  vessels  and  friends  on  shore.  Safely,  but  hur 
riedly,  they  then  pass  through  this  exciting  crisis. 

In  the  meanwhile,  the  sun  shines  down  in  the  brilliance  of 
his  light,  the  waters  are  but  just  ruffled  by  a  breeze,  while  the 
deep  waves  are  calm  and  the  sky  serene.  Full  in  view  lies 
the  city  of  Vera  Cruz,  and  near  is  the  renowned  castle  of  San 
Juan  d'Ulloa !  The  harbor  is  crowded  with  foreign  vessels, 
and  decks  and  rigging  are  filled  with  wondering  spectators ! 
Never,  says  one,  shall  I  forget  the  excitement  of  that  scene  ! 

The  first  division  of  troops  had  landed  a  little  before  sunset, 
the  second  and  third  followed  in  succession,  and  before  ten 
o'clock  the  whole  army  (numbering  twelve  thousand  men)  was 
landed,  without  the  slightest  accident  and  without  the  loss  of  a 
single  life ! 


im     V   y 
sst<F  X       ^ 

pmV^X 

lK->        /*     c*" 


~  <<STV^ '                  ,^-  33 

*S                                      ^                           »/*  ^^r^ 

jflti 

M^l^fe^  "v^lii  ^ 


136  LIFE  OF  GENERAL  SCOTT. 

Thus,  at  the  distance  of  more  than  three  hundred  years,  was 
renewed  the  landing  and  inarch  of  Cortez !  Both  were  bril 
liant,  and  remarkable  in  history  and  conduct.  The  Spanish 
hero  came  to  encounter  and  subdue  on  unknown  shores,  the 
Aztectic-American  civilization.  The  Anglo-American  came 
to  meet  and  prevail  against  the  Spanish-Aztec  combination. 
Both  came  with  inferior  numbers,  to  illustrate  the  higher  order 
and  vastly  superior  energies  of  moral  power.  Both  came 
agents  controlled  by  an  invisible  spirit,  in  carrying  forward 
the  drama  of  Divine  Providence  on  earth.  In  vain  do  we 
speculate  as  to  the  end  ;  it  will  be  revealed  only  when  the  last 
curtain  is  drawn  from  the  deep,  mysterious  Future. 

The  landing  at  Vera  Cruz,  as  a  military  operation,  deserves 
a  credit,  which  is  seldom  awarded  to  bloodless  achievements. 
It  is  common  to  measure  military  operations  by  the  current  of 
blood  which  has  flowed.  But  why  ?  Is  he  not  the  best  gen 
eral  who  accomplishes  the  greatest  results  with  the  least  loss  ? 
Or  must  we  adopt  the  savage  theory,  that  the  greatest  inhu 
manity  is  the  greatest  heroism  ?  Mere  animal  bravery  is  a 
common  quality.  Why,  then,  should  the  exhibition  of  so  com-^ 
mon  a  quality,  in  an  open  battle,  give  distinction,  when  it  is 
skill  only  that  is  valuable,  and  science  only  that  is  uncom 
mon  ?  This  skill  and  science  were  exhibited  in  a  most  singular 
and  felicitous  manner,  in  the  pre-arrangements,  combinations, 
and  success,  which  attended  the  landing  of  the  American 
army  under  the  walls  of  Vera  Cruz. 

Of  this  landing,  as  compared  with  a  similar  one  by  the 
French  at  Algiers,  the  New  Orleans  Bulletin  of  March  27th 
makes  the  following  correct  and  interesting  remarks : 

"  The  landing  of  the  American  army  at  Vera  Cruz  has 
been  accomplished  in  a  manner  that  reflects  the  highest  credit 
on  all  concerned,  and  the  regularity,  precision,  and  prompt 
ness  with  which  it  was  effected,  has  probably  not  been  sur 
passed,  if  it  has  been  equalled  in  modern  warfare. 

"The  removal  of  a  large  body  of  troops  from  numerous 
transports  into  boats  in  an  open  sea — their  subsequent  disem 
barkation  on  the  sea-beach,  on  an  enemy's  coast,  through  a  surf, 
with  all  their  arms  and  accoutrements,  without  a  single  error 


SIEGE    OF    VERA    CRUZ.  137 

or  accident,  requires  great  exertion,  skill,  and  sound  judg 
ment. 

"  The  French  expedition  against  Algiers,  in  1830,  was  said 
to  be  the  most  complete  armament  in  every  respect  that  ever 
left  Europe ;  it  had  been  prepared  with  labor,  attention,  and 
experience,  and  nothing  had  been  omitted  to  ensure  success, 
and  particularly  in  the  means  and  facilities  for  landing  the 
troops.  This  disembarkation  took  place  in  a  wide  bay,  which 
was  more  favorable  than  an  open  beach  directly  on  the  ocean, 
and  (as  in  the  present  instance)  without  any  resistance  on  the 
part  of  the  enemy — yet,  only  nine  thousand  men  were  landed 
the  first  day,  and  from  thirty  to  forty  lives  were  lost  by  acci 
dents,  or  upsetting  of  boats ;  whereas,  on  the  present  occasion, 
twelve  thousand  men  were  landed  in  one  day,  without,  so  far  as 
we  have  heard,  the  slightest  accident  or  the  loss  of  a  single  life." 

No  trcops  of  the  enemy  made  direct  opposition  to  the  Ameri- 
can  army  on  reaching  the  beach,  but  the  guns  of  the  castle 
and  city  kept  up  a  constant  firing  with  round-shot  and  thirteen- 
inch  shells.  The  several  corps  immediately  occupied  the 
lines  of  investment  to  which  they  had  been  respectively  as 
signed  by  General  Scott's  orders.*  These  orders  pointed  out 
the  most  minute  particulars,  and  were  based  on  prior  informa 
tion,  obtained  by  the  engineer  and  topographical  departments, 
and  carefully  analyzed  and  thoroughly  studied,  by  the  cotn- 
rnander-in-chief.  This  information  was  so  accurate,  and  so 
well  understood  by  the  commander,  the  engineers,  and  the 
chief  of  the  staff",  that  they  made  no  mistakes.  They  found 
all  as  they  anticipated :  their  arrangements  resulted  as  they 
intended,  and  the  regiments  and  companies  took  their  re 
spective  places  as  quietly  and  orderly  as  if  they  were  pa 
rading  on  the  green  banks  of  the  Potomac !  Parties  of  the 
enemy  appeared,  and  skirmishes  took  place,  but  nothing  seri 
ously  interrupted  the  progress  of  investment.  On  the  12th 
inst.,  the  entire  army  had  completely  occupied  its  positions. f 

All  this  was  not  done  without  labor,  fatigue,  and  exposure 

*  General  Orders,  No.  47. 

t  General  Scott's  Official  Report,  dated  12th  of  March,  1847. 
12* 


138  LIFE    OF    GENERAL    SCOTT. 

of  the  severest  kind.  The  carts,  horses,  and  mules,  except  a 
very  few,*  had  not  yet  arrived.  Innumerable  hills  of  loose 
sand,  and  almost  impassable  thickets  of  chapporal,  covered  the 
ground  of  operations.  Through  these,  by  their  own  hands, 
and  on  their  backs,  soldiers,  both  regular  and  volunteer, 
dragged  their  provisions,  their  equipments,  and  munitions  of 
war,  under  the  rays  of  a  sun  already  hot  in  a  tropical  climate. 
The  sands  of  this  peculiar  region  are  so  light,  that  during  the 
existence  of  a  "norther,"  (a  so-called  wind  of  the  Gulf,)  if  a 
man  would  lie  down  for  an  hour  or  two,  he  would  inevitably 
be  buried  in  the  floating  drifts  !  He  must  therefore,  at  this 
season,  seek  shelter  in  chapporals.  In  such  circumstances — un 
der  the  distant  fire  of  the  enemy's  fortresses,  and  in  the  midst  of 
sharp  skirmishes — the  investment  was  completed.  The  lines 
of  siege  were  five  miles  in  length,  and  on  that  whole  distance 
provisions  must  be  carried  and  communications  kept  up  with 
depots,  and  with  ships  at  sea.  In  this,  the  officers  and  seamen 
of  the  navy  co-operated  with  those  of  the  army,  in  the  most 
gallant  and  skilful  manner. 

During  this  part  of  the  siege,  a  "  norther''  prevailed,  which 
rendered  it  impossible  to  land  heavy  ordnance.  On  the  17th, 
a  pause  occurred  in  the  storm,  and  ten  mortars,  four  twenty- 
four-pound  guns,  and  some  howitzers  were  landed.  On  the 
night  of  the  18th  the  trenches  were  opened,  and,  the  engineers 
with  the  sappers  and  miners  leading  the  way,  the  army  gradu 
ally  closed  in  nearer  the  city. 

On  the  22d  of  March — seven  of  the  ten-inch  mortars  being 
in  battery,  and  other  works  in  progress — General  Scott  sum 
moned  the  Governor  of  Vera  Cruz  to  surrender  the  city. 
The  governor,  who  was  also  governor  of  the  castle,  chose  to 
consider  the  summons  to  surrender  that,  as  well  as  the  city, 
and  rejected  the  proposition.  On  the  return  of  the  flag,  the 
mortar  battery,  at  the  distance  of  eight  hundred  yards  from 
the  city,  opened  its  fire  on  the  city,  and  continued  to  fire 
during  the  day  and  night. 

*  There  had  then  arrived  but  fifteen  carts  and  one  hundred  draught- 
horses. 


SIEGE    OF    VERA    CRUZ.  139 

On  the  24th  the  batteries  were  reinforced  with  twenty-four 
pounders  and  paixhan  guns.  On  the  25th  all  the  batteries 
were  in  "  awful  activity."  Terrible  was  the  scene !  The 
darkness  of  night  was  illuminated  with  blazing  shells  circling 
through  the  air.  The  roar  of  artillery  and  the  heavy  fall  of 
descending  shot  were  heard  through  the  streets  of  the  besieged 
city.  The  roofs  of  buildings  were  on  fire.  The  domes  of 
churches  reverberated  with  fearful  explosions.  The  sea  was 
reddened  with  the  broadsides  of  ships.  The  castle  of  San  Juan 
returned,  from  its  heavy  batteries,  the  fire,  the  light,  the  smoke, 
the  noise  of  battle.  Such  was  the  sublime  and  awfully  terrible 
scene,  as  beheld  from  the  trenches  of  the  army,  from  the  22d 
to  the  25th  of  March,  when  the  accumulated  science  of  ages, 
applied  to  the  military  art,  had,  on  the  plains  of  Vera  Cruz, 
aggregated  and  displayed  the  fulness  of  its  destructive  power. 

On  the  evening  of  the  25th  inst.,  the  consuls  of  European 
powers  residing  in  Vera  Cruz,  made  application,  by  memorial,  to 
General  Scott  for  a  truce,  to  enable  them  and  the  women  and 
children  of  the  city  to  retire.  To  this  General  Scott  replied, — 
that  a  truce  could  only  be  granted  on  application  of  General  Mo 
rales,  the  governor,  with  a  view  to  surrender;*  that  safeguards 
had  already  been  sent  to  the  foreign  consuls,  of  which  they  had 
refused  to  avail  themselves;  that  the  blockade  had  been  left 
open  to  consuls  and  neutrals  to  the  22d  proximo ;  and  that  the 
case  of  women  and  children,  with  their  hardships  and  distresses, 
had  been  fully  considered  before  one  gun  was  fired. 

The  memorial  represented,  that  the  batteries  had  already  a 
terrible  effect  on  the  city — and  by  this,  and  other  evidence,  it 
was  now  clear  that  a  crisis  had  arrived.  The  city  must  either 
be  surrendered,  or  it  must  be  consigned  to  inevitable  and  most 
melancholy  destruction. 

Accordingly,  early  on  the  morning  of  the  26th  of  March, 
General  Landero,  on  whom  the  command  had  been  devolved 
by  General  Morales,  made  overtures  of  surrender.  Arrange 
ments  had  been  made  by  Scott  for  carrying  the  city  by  assault 
on  that  very  day.  The  proposition  of  the  Mexican  general 

*  Scott's  Official  Report  of  March  25,  1847. 


140  LIFE    OF    GENERAL    SCOTT. 

made  this  unnecessary,  and  Generals  Worth  and  Pillow,  with 
Colonel  Totten  of  the  engineer  corps,  were  appointed  commis 
sioners  on  the  part  of  the  American  army,  to  treat  with  others 
appointed  by  the  Governor  of  Vera  Cruz.  Late  on  the  night 
of  the  27th  the  articles  of  capitulation  were  signed  and  ex 
changed. 

On  the  29th  of  March,  the  official  dispatch  of  General  Scott 
announced  that  the  flag  of  the  United  States  floated  over  the 
walls  of  Vera  Cruz  and  the  castle  of  St.  Juan  d'Ulloa.  The 
regular  siege  of  the  city  had  continued  from  the  day  of  invest 
ment,  the  12th  of  March,  to  the  day  the  articles  of  capitulation 
were  signed,  the  27th,  making  a  period  of  fifteen  days,  in  which 
active,  continuous,  and  vigorous  operations  were  carried  on. 
During  this  time,  our  army  had  thrown  3,000  ten-inch  shells, 
200  howitzer  shells,  1,000  paixhan  shot,  and  2,500  round-shot, 
weighing  on  the  whole  about  half  a  million  of  pounds  !  Most 
effective  and  most  terrible  was  the  disaster  and  destruction  they 
caused  within  the  walls  of  the  city,  whose  ruins  and  whose 
mourning  attested  both  the  energy  and  the  sadness  of  war. 

By  some,  it  was  thought  strange  that  the  Governor  of  Vera 
Cruz  should  have  surrendered  so  soon  ;  but,  on  a  full  exhibition 
of  the  facts  of  the  siege,  surprise  gives  place  to  admiration  at 
the  progress,  power,  and  development  of  military  science.  The 
thirty  years  which  had  elapsed  since  the  fall  of  Napoleon,  had 
not  been  idly  passed  by  military  men.  They  had  acquired 
and  systematized  new  arts  and  new  methods  in  the  art  of  war. 
Nor  were  American  officers  inattentive  to  this  progress.  They 
had  shared  in  it  all,  and  when  the  siege  of  Vera  Cruz  was 
undertaken,  this  new  power  and  method  were  fully  displayed. 
The  city  was  environed  with  cords  of  strength,  in  which  all  its 
defences  must  be  folded  and  crushed.  The  result  was  inevi 
table.  The  officers  of  Vera  Cruz  saw  this,  and  although  the 
castle  of  San  Juan  might  have  held  out  a  few  days  longer,  for 
what  purpose  would  it  have  been  ?  There  is  no  rule  of  mili 
tary  science  which  requires  fighting  when  fighting  is  useless. 
There  is  no  law  of  humanity  which  would  not  be  violated  by 
the  wanton  exposure  of  towns  and  inhabitants  when  defence  was 
impossible.  The  surrender  was,  therefore,  alike  just  to  victors 


142  LIFE  OF  GENERAL  SCOTT. 

and  defenders,  both  of  whom  had  arrived  at  an  inevitable  end, — 
the  result  of  progress  in  high  civilization,  and  of  the  highest 
military  skill  and  accomplishments. 

By  the  terms  of  capitulation,  all  the  arms  and  munitions  of 
war  were  given  up  to  the  United  States ;  five  thousand  prison 
ers  surrendered  on  parole ;  near  five  hundred  pieces  of  fine 
artillery  were  taken ;  the  best  port  of  Mexico  captured  and 
possessed ;  and  the  famed  castle  of  San  Juan,  said  to  be  im 
pregnable,  and  which  had  been  refitted  and  equipped  in  the 
best  possible  manner,  yielded  its  defences  to  the  superior  skill 
and  energy  of  the  Anglo-Americans.  At  10  A.  M.,  on  the  morn 
ing  of  the  29th,  that  people,  who  centuries  before  had,  with  a 
small  band,  marched  through  the  Aztec  empire,  and,  with  the 
pride  of  power,  supplanted  its  ancient  dominion,  struck  their 
flags  and  quietly  submitted  to  another  and  a  newer  race,  who 
had  come  over  the  Atlantic  later  than  themselves,  but  who  had 
imbibed  other  principles,  and  been  impelled  by  stronger  ener 
gies,  in  the  colder  regions  of  the  north.  On  the  castle  of  San 
Juan,  on  the  forts  of  Santiago  and  Conception,  the  banner  of  the 
American  Union  gracefully  ascended,  and,  amidst  the  shouts 
and  cheers  of  warriors  on  sea  and  shore,  bent  its  folds  to  the 
breeze,  and  looked  forth  over  the  Mexican  Gulf. 

In  this  great  and  successful  enterprise,  the  American  arms 
met  with  but  little  loss.  Two  officers,*  (valuable,  however,  to 
their  corps  and  country,)  with  a  few  soldiers,  were  all  the 
deaths.  So  great  a  result,  obtained  with  so  little  loss,  may  be 
sought  in  vain  among  the  best  campaigns  of  the  best  generals 
of  modern  times.  There  are  those,  who  think  victory  bright 
est  when  achieved  in  the  carnival  of  death,  and  the  laurel 
greenest  which  is  plucked  from  a  crimson  tree.  But  this  is 
not  the  estimate  of  the  humane,  the  honorable,  or  the  intelli 
gent.  They,  in  this  age  of  the  world,  will  deem  that  achieve 
ment  greatest  which  costs  the  least,  where  skill  has  been  sub 
stituted  for  death,  and  science  for  the  brave  but  often  wasted 
energy  of  bodily  force. 

*  Captains  Alburtis  and  Vinton,  both  distinguished  officers,  were  killed, 
with  several  private  soldiers. 


MARCH    INTO    THE    INTERIOR.  143 

Some  incidents  of  this  siege  are  related,  which  illustrate  the 
character  of  General  Scott  and  the  nature  of  the  war.  On 
one  occasion,  when  the  General  was  walking  along  the  trenches, 
the  soldiers  would  frequently  rise  up  and  look  over  the  parapet. 
The  General  cried  out,  "  Down — down,  men  ! — don't  expose 
yourselves."  "But,  General,"  said  one,  "you  are  exposed." 
"  Oh !"  said  Scott,  "generals,  now-a-days,  can  be  made  out  of 
anybody,  but  men  cannot  be  had." 

Something  has  been  severely  said,  as  to  the  loss  of  women 
and  children  by  the  bombardment  of  the  city  ;  but  this  is  un 
justly  said.  Scott,  as  appears  by  the  official  papers,  gave 
ample  notice  of  the  danger  to  consuls,  neutrals,  and  non-com 
batants  in  the  city,  and  ample  time  for  them  to  remove.  That 
they,  or  at  least  many  of  them,  did  not  avail  themselves  of 
that  notice,  was  their  own  fault ;  and,  by  the  laws  of  war,  it 
was  both  unnecessary  and  impossible  that  the  siege  should  be 
delayed,  or  given  up,  on  account  of  the  inhabitants  within, 
who  had  long  known  that  the  United  States  army  would  land 
there,  and  who  had  received  from  the  commander  full  notice 
of  danger. 


MARCH    TO    THE    INTERIOR    AND    BATTLE    OF    CERRO    GORDO. 

WE  must  now  resume  the  march  of  Scott's  army  to  the 
capital  of  Mexico.  Worth  is  appointed  (for  the  time)  governor 
of  Vera  Cruz.  The  army  is  organized  for  an  advance  on  the 
Jalapa  road — but  wagons  are  wanting.  Eight  thousand  men 
are  to  be  thrown  forward  into  the  heart  of  Mexico.  Quantities 
of  ammunition,  provisions,  cannon,  arms  are  to  be  carried. 
Yet  the  wagons,  horses,  and  mules  which  are  to  do  this  ser 
vice  are  not  yet  arrived.  A  little  while  since,  and  they  were 
two  thousand  miles  off,  in  the  heart  of  the  United  States.  But, 
they  will  come.  They  are  descending  the  Ohio  and  the  Mis 
sissippi.  They  will  be  here.  One  by  one,  dozen  by  dozen, 
they  arrive.  On  the  8th  of  April,  ten  days  after  the  surrender 


Taken,  Try  permission. ,  front 


Wmie  del 


Child&Se 


BATTLE  OF  CERRO  GORDO.  145 

of  Vera  Cruz,  the  veteran  Twiggs,  with  his  heroic  division, 
takes  ihe  Jalapa  road.  Other  divisions  rapidly  follow.  In 
three  days  they  reach  the  foot  of  the  mountains,  from  whose 
heights  may  be  seen  the  splendid  vision  of  Orizabo,  and  its 
snow-crowned  tops,  along  whose  ridges  the  road  continues  to 
the  ancient  capital  of  the  Montezumas  ;  and  from  whose  almost 
impregnable  summits,  looks  down  Santa  Anna  with  fifteen 
thousand  men.  The  Mexican  chief,  defeated  at  Buena  Vista, 
had  rapidly  traversed  the  interior  provinces  with  the  greater 
part  of  his  army,  and  now  sought  to  defend  the  heights  of  Cerro 
Gordo,  formidable  by  nature,  with  batteries  and  intrench- 
ments. 

Here  Twiggs  makes  a  reconnoissance  on  the  12th,  and  de 
termines  to  attack  the  enemy  next  morning.  In  the  meanwhile 
Patterson  arrives  with  volunteers,  and  delays  the  attack  till 
the  arrival  of  the  general-in-chief.  Scott  makes  a  new  recon 
noissance,  and  perceives  that  an  attack  in  front  would  be  in 
vain,  for  the  batteries  there  are  commanded  by  the  still  higher 
ones  on  the  summits  of  Cerro  Gordo.  He  orders  a  road  to  be 
cut  to  the  right  of  the  American  army,  but  to  the  left  of  Cerro 
Gordo,  which  winds  round  the  base  of  the  mountains  and  as 
cends  them  in  the  rear  of  the  Mexican  forts,  there  rejoining 
the  Jalapa  road,  and  behind  the  whole  Mexican  position.  The 
labor,  the  skill,  the  courage  of  American  soldiers  accomplish 
it.  For  three  days  the  Mexicans  do  not  discover  it.  It  is  nearly 
done  on  the  17th,  when  they  fire  with  grape  and  musketry  on 
the  working  parties.  Twiggs  again  advances  to  the  storm. 
He  carries  the  hill  below  Cerro  Gordo,  but  above  the  new 
road.  All  is  safe  now,  and  all  is  ready  for  the  coming  battle. 
On  the  17th  of  April  Scott  issues  his  celebrated  order,  dated 
Plan  del  Rio.  It  details,  with  prophetic  accuracy,  the  move 
ments  of  the  following  day — the  positions,  the  attack,  the  bat 
tle,  the  victory,  and  the  hot  pursuit,  till  the  spires  of  Jalapa 
should  appear  in  sight.  It  is  an  order  most  remarkable  in 
history.  Here  it  is : — 

13 


A.  American  army. 

B.  Battery,  (American.) 

C.  Cerro  Gordo  &  Tower. 

D.  Twiggs'  inarch. 

a,  a,  ifC.  Mexican  batteries. 

b,  b.  Pillow's  brigade. 
N.  R.  National  road. 

d.  Gen.  Shields'  brigade. 
G.  Hill  stormed  by  2d  inf. 
F.  8  in.  howitzer,  ( Amer.) 


BATTLE  OF  CERRO  GORDO.  147 


GENERAL  ORDERS,  No.  111. 

HEAD  QUARTERS  OF  THE  ARMY,  / 
Plan  del  Rio,  April  17,  1WT.      j 

The  enemy's  whole  line  of  intrenchments  and  batteries  will  be  at 
tacked  in  front,  and  at  the  same  time  turned,  early  in  the  day  to 
morrow — probably  before  ten  o'clock,  A.  M. 

The  second  (Twiggs')  division  of  regulars  is  already  advanced 
within  easy  turning  distance  towards  the  enemy's  left.  That  division 
has  instructions  to  move  forward  before  daylight  to-morrow,  and 
take  up  a  position  across  the  national  road  in  the  enemy's  rear,  so  as 
to  cut  off  a  retreat  towards  Xalapa.  It  may  be  reinforced  to-day,  if 
unexpectedly  attacked  in  force,  by  regiments — one  or  two  taken 
from  Shields'  brigade  of  volunteers.  If  not,  the  two  volunteer  regi 
ments  will  march  for  that  purpose  at  daylight  to-morrow  morning, 
under  Brig.  Gen.  Shields,  who  will  report  to  Brig.  Gen.  Twiggs,  on 
getting  up  with  him,  or  the  general-in-chief,  if  he  be  in  advance. 

The  remaining  regiment  of  that  volunteer  brigade  will  receive  in 
structions  in  the  course  of  this  day. 

The  first  division  of  regulars  (Worth's)  will  follow  the  movement 
against  the  enemy's  left  at  sunrise  to-morrow  morning. 

As  already  arranged,  Brig.  Gen.  Pillow's  brigade  will  march  at 
six  o'clock  to-morrow  morning  along  the  route  he  has  carefully  re 
connoitred,  and  stand  ready  as  soon  as  he  hears  the  report  of  arms 
on  our  right,  or  sooner  if  circumstances  should  favor  him,  to  pierce 
the  enemy's  line  of  batteries  at  such  point — the  nearer  the  river  the 
better — as  he  may  select.  Ouce  in  the  rear  of  that  line,  he  will  turn 
to  the  right  or  left,  or  both,  and  attack  the  batteries  in  reverse ;  or, 
if  abandoned,  he  will  pursue  the  enemy  with  vigor  until  further  or 
ders. 

Wall's  field  battery  and  the  cavalry  will  be  held  in  reserve  on  the- 
national  road,  a  little  out  of  view  and  range  of  the  enemy's  batteries. 
They  will  take  up  that  position  at  nine  o'clock  in  the  morning. 

The  enemy's  batteries  being  carried  or  abandoned,  all  our  divisions 
and  corps  will  pursue  with  vigor. 

This  pursuit  may  be  continued  many  miles,  until  stopped  by  dark 
ness  or  fortified  positions  towards  Xalapa.  Consequently,  the  body 
of  the  army  will  not  return  to  this  encampment,  but  be  followed  to 
morrow  afternoon,  or  early  the  next  morning,  by  the  baggage  trains 
of  the  several  corps.  For  this  purpose,  the  feebler  officers  and  men 
of  each  corps  will  be  left  to  guard  its  camp  and  effects,  and  to  load  up 
the  latter  in  the  wagons  of  the  corps.  A  commander  of  the  present 
encampment  will  be  designated  in  the  course  of  this  day. 

As  soon  as  it  shall  be  known  that  the  enemy's  works  have  been 
carried,  or  that  the  general  pursuit  has  been  commenced,  one  wagon, 
for  each  regiment  and  one  for  the  cavalry  will  follow  the  movement,, 
to  receive,  under  the  directions  of  medical  officers,  the  wounded  and 
disabled,  who  will  be  brought  back  to  this  place  for  treatment  ib 
general  hospital. 


148  LIFE    OF    GENERAL    SCOTT. 

The  Surgeon  General  will  organize  this  important  service  and 
designate  that  hospital,  as  well  as  the  medical  officers  to  be  left 
at  it. 

Every  man  who  marches  out  to  attack  or  pursue  the  enemy,  will 
take  the  usual  allowance  of  ammunition,  and  subsistence  for  at  least 
two  days. 

By  command  of  Maj.  Gen.  Scott, 

H.  L.  SCOTT,  A.  A.  A.  General. 

The  order  thus  given  was  realized  to  the  letter,  with  the 
exception  that  General  Pillow's  brigade  was  repulsed  in  the 
attack  on  the  batteries  in  front.  They  were,  however,  taken 
and  their  garrisons  made  prisoners,  by  the  advanced  corps  of 
the  army,  at  the  close  of  the  battle.  In  each  particular — of 
march,  battle,  victory,  and  pursuit — the  order  of  Scott  was 
prophetically  correct.  It  proves  the  confidence  of  the  com 
mander  in  the  indomitable  energy  of  his  troops.  On  the  night 
of  that  day,  (the  17th,)  the  enemy's  position  appears  almost 
impregnable.  On  their  right  rolls  a  deep  river.  Along  its 
side  rises  a  chain  of  mountains  one  thousand  feet  in  height. 
On  these,  heavy  batteries  frown  down  on  all  below.  Over 
all  rises  the  summit  and  tower  of  Cerro  Gordo.  Winding 
among  the  gorges  of  these  mountains,  and  at  last  turning  be 
tween  the  highest  battery  and  the  river  below,  is  the  National 
road,  by  which  only  the  American  army  must  pass.  The 
Anglo-American  soldier  looks  out  from  his  camp  at  Plan  del 
Rio,  and  sees  this  deep  river  on  the  side,  this  rampart  of 
mountains  in  front,  the  high  batteries  beyond,  and  knows  that 
the  Mexican  chief  with  fifteen  thousand  men  is  encamped  on 
these  mountains  thus  strongly  defended.  How  shall  he  be 
attacked  ?  The  General  Order  points  out  each  step  in  the  way. 

On  the  night  of  the  17th,  a  thousand  men  of  Twiggs'  divi 
sion  are  detailed  on  their  route  to  plant  an  American  battery 
on  the  captured  hill  below  Cerro  Gordo.  A  heavy  twenty-four 
pounder  was  brought  up,  and  two  twenty-four  pound  howitzers. 
These  were  dragged  by  main  force  up  the  hill,  hundreds  of 
feet  high,  in  a  night  of  total  darkness.  A  fire  is  built  below, 
and  the  officers  and  men  are  told  to  take  the  cannon  straight 
up.  They  are  already  fatigued,  exhausted,  and  parched  with 
thirst ;  but  they  stop  not  for  these.  They  are  divided  into 


BATTLE  OF  CERRO  GORDO.  149 

two  parties,  of  five  hundred  men  each,  for  relief.  They  drag 
the  pieces  up  with  the  hands.  Here  they  stop,  block  up,  and 
chain  the  wheels,  till  they  are  relieved  by  the  other  division. 
Again  they  go  on,  and  again  they  relieve.  Thus  they  go  on 
from  seven  in  the  evening  till  three  in  the  morning.  The 
ground  is  covered  with  exhausted  soldiers,  some  to  sleep  and 
some  to  rest.  But  the  cannon  are  carried  up.  The  mornin^ 
finds  them  on  the  hill,  and  as  the  rosy  light  blushes  in  the 
heavens,  the  soft  music  of  the  Mexican  reveillee  is  heard  sum 
moning  their  men  to  the  muster.  The  batteries  and  encamp 
ments  are  revealed.  The  fine  body  of  Mexican  lancers,  in  splen 
did  uniforms  and  with  an  unfurled  standard,  are  moving  along. 
Here  battalions  of  artillery,  and  there  a  dense  column  of  infan 
try,  arrest  the  attention.  Below  and  above  are  batteries  darkly 
threatening  to  open  their  fire.  This  captured  position  thus 
commands  all  the  defences  but  Cerro  Gordo.  But  that  is 
above.  That  can  fire  down  upon  every  position  which  could 
be  taken.  It  is  plain  then,  that  the  fort  of  Cerro  Gordo  is  the 
key  position  of  all  the  rest.  This  the  discriminating  eye  of 
military  science  had  clearly  seen.  Scott  sees  it,  and  has  pre 
pared  for  it.  Hence  the  new  road  was  made,  winding,  as  you 
see,  around  the  base  of  the  mountain  to  our  right,  but  to  the 
left  of  Cerro  Gordo,  so  that  this  citadel  of  the  Mexican  camp 
may -be  stormed  from  the  flank,  and  the  retreat  of  the  troops 
by  the  National  road  cut  off".  Hence,  Pillow's  brigade  is  to 
attack  their  batteries  on  the  front  hill  rampart,  and  either  take 
them,  or  divert  their  attention  from  our  flank  movement. 
Hence,  the  night  work  of  our  men,  so  that  our  new  hill-fort 
may  command  'these  batteries  of  the  enemy,  and  at  the  right 
moment  compel  their  surrender.  All  is  well  done.  All  is 
ready.  The  night-watch  is  past.  Twiggs'  division,  which 
has  rested  on  its  arms,  is  rousing  itself  at  the  first  light.  The 
gallant  artillerymen  and  engineers  on  the  hill  cut  away  the 
light  brush  in  front  of  their  guns,  and  now  the  heavy  cannon 
begin  their  fire  on  the  hill  batteries.  Their  thunder  tones  are 
echoed  from  the  mountain  sides,  and  returned  from  the  pieces 
of  the  enemy.  The  division  of  Twiggs  is  marching.  The 
volunteers  of  Shields  are  hurrying  on  to.seize  the  Jalapa  road 

13* 


150  LIFE  OF  GENERAL  SCOTT. 

in  rear  of  Santa  Anna.  Cerro  Gordo  now  opens  its  plung 
ing  fire  on  Twiggs,  and  the  issue  has  come.  Cerro  Gordo 
must  be  stormed.  The  storm  is  led  by  the  gallant  Harney. 
They  fight  under  the  eye  of  Scott.  Here  march  the  rifles, 
the  1st  artillery,  the  7th  infantry;  and  near  them,  and  with 
them  storming  the  heights,  are  the  2d  and  the  3d  infantry, 
and  the  4th  artillery.  These  are  the  regulars  of  Twiggs,  and 
here  they  march  up  the  rocky  ascent,  so  steep  that  they  must 
climb  as  they  go,  and  with  no  covering  but  the  very  steepness 
of  the  I/1!.  They  receive  a  plunging  fire  in  front  and  a  roll 
ing  fire  on  the  flanks — but,  on  they  go.  On— on,  Harney 
leads  his  men.  The  front  rank  melts  away  before  the  shot ; 
but  they  stop  not  till  the  hill  is  gained,  and  then  a  long  and 
loud  shout  echoes  from  the  mountain  sides — Cerro  Gordo  is 
gained  !  Vasquez,  the  Mexican  general,  is  killed  in  the  for 
tress.  Now  the  flags  of  the  1st  artillery  and  7th  infantry  are 
planted  on  the  batteries,  and  now  Sergeant  Henry  hauls  down 
the  national  standard  of  Mexico.  The  Anglo-American  again 
unfurls  the  flag  of  his  country,  and  again  renews  the  victories 
of  Cortez.  But  where  are  the  Volunteers?  Yet  further  to 
the  right,  and  hastening  to  the  Jalapa  road.  They  storm  a 
fort  in  front — the  heroic  Shields  is  shot  through  the  lungs — 
but  the  fort  is  taken — the  road  is  gained — and  the  flying  army 
of  Santa  Anna  is  pursued  in  all  directions. 

On  the  river  batteries  in  front,  Pillow's  attack  is  not  suc 
cessful.  The  batteries  enfilade  our  men,  and  after  bravely 
fighting,  they  are  drawn  back ;  but  their  effort  is  not  lost. 
The  corps  of  General  La  Vega  is  kept  employed  till  Cerro 
Gordo  has  fallen.  Then  he  surrenders,  with  three  thousand 
men  prisoners  of  war.  Santa  Anna,  with  Almonte,  Canalizo, 
and  eight  thousand  have  escaped,  leaving  carriages  and  bag 
gage  behind,  and  are  now  on  the  road  to  Jalapa.  The  sun  is 
at  noon,  and  the  battle  is  ended  ;  but  the  pursuit  continues. 
The  reserve  division  of  Worth  comes  up,  passes  Twiggs,  and 
hurries  rapidly  on  after  the  confused  and  flying  Mexicans ; 
nor  does  he  stop  till  Jalapa  appears  in  sight ! 

On  the  19th  of  April,  from  Plan  del  Rio,  Scott  announces  to 
the  War  Department,  that  he  is  embarrassed  with  the  results 


BATTLE  OF  CERRO  GORDO.  151 

of  victory  !  Three  thousand  prisoners,  forty-three  pieces  of 
bronze  artillery  manufactured  at  Seville,  five  thousand  stand 
of  arms,  five  generals,  with  the  munitions  and  materials  of  an 
army,  captured  in  a  single  battle,  are  the  fruits  of  victory,  and 
demand  the  earnest  care  of  the  conquering  general !  The 
men  must  be  paroled ;  the  small-arms  must  be  destroyed  ;  we 
have  not  men  to  take  care  of  them. 

Such  was  THE  BATTLE  OF  CERRO  GORDO.  In  the  skill  with 
which  it  was  planned,  in  the  formidable  defences  to  be  sur 
mounted,  in  the  heroism  of  the  attack,  and  in  the  magnitude 
of  results,  with  which  of  American  battles  will  it  not  compare  ? 
There  were  almost  impassable  obstacles,  surmounted  by  skill ; 
there  were  almost  impregnable  batteries,  stormed  by  valor ; 
there  were  thousands  of  prisoners  captured,  and  an  army  de 
stroyed  ;  there  was  a  road  to  the  capital  laid  open,  and  towns 
and  cities  taken  in  the  long  vista  of  a  victorious  march  !  The 
Mexican  empire  lies  under  the  feet  of  the  conqueror,  and 
again  is  the  Aztec  compelled  to  witness  the  triumphs  of  power, 
and  utter  by  the  Ruins  of  the  Past,  the  mournings  of  the 
Present ! 

Look  around  you  upon  the  battle-field,  now  that  the  dark 
chariot  of  war  has  driven  by !  Hear  the  description  of  one 
who  has  been  to  look  upon  the  dead. 

"  A  dragoon  we  encountered  on  the  way  kindly  offered  to 
be  our  guide,  and  from  him  we  learned  the  positions  of  the 
different  armies,  their  divisions  and  subdivisions.  As  winding 
around  the  hills  by  the  National  road,  the  enemy's  intrench- 
ments,  their  barricaded  heights,  strong  forts,  and  well-defended 
passes,  came  in  view,  we  halted,  and  gazed  for  several  mo 
ments  in  mute  amazement.  No  one,  from  reading  the  news 
paper  accounts  or  the  reports  of  the  generals,  can  form  a  proper 
idea  of  the  advantages  possessed  by  the  enemy  in  his  chosen 
position.  The  battle,  I  knew  it  had  been  fought  and  won  by 
our  troops ;  yet  it  seemed,  in  its  bare,  still  reality,  a  dream. 
I  could  not  shake  off  this  feeling  as  I  rode  along  the  enemy's 
lines  of  intrenchments,  entered  his  dismantled  forts  and  maga 
zines,  and  looked  from  his  chosen  heights  upon  the  paths  up 
which  our  troops  rushed  into  the  jaws  of  death.  * 


152  LIFE    OF     GENERAL    SCOTT. 

"  Passing  down  the  ravine  where  the  National  Guard  had 
three  times  attempted  to  dislodge  the  mounted  riflemen,  who, 
supported  by  the  howitzer  battery,  literally  rained  death  among 
their  ranks,  I  was  obliged  to  turn  back  and  retrace  my  steps. 
The  gorge  was  choked  up  with  the  mangled  bodies  of  the 
flower  of  the  Mexican  army.  The  wolf-dog  and  the  buzzard 
howled  and  screamed  as  I  rode  by,  and  the  stench  was  too  sick 
ening  to  be  endured.  Returning  to  the  National  road,  we 
passed  a  large  number  of  cannon  taken  by  our  troops,  and 
saw  piles  of  muskets  charred  with  fire  in  heaps,  where  they 
had  been  heaped  and  burned..*  *  *  *  * 

"  All  along  the  road  were  the  bodies  of  Mexican  lancers  and 
their  horses,  cut  down  by  Colonel  Harney's  dragoons,  when 
these  fire-eaters  chased  Santa  Anna  and  his  retreating  troops 
into  and  beyond  Jalapa.  Almost  every  man's  skull  was  liter 
ally  split  open  with  the  sabres  of  our  horsemen,  and  they  lay 
stretched  upon  the  ground  in  ghastly  groups." 

From  this  sad  scenery  of  war,  as  exhibited  in  the  relics  of 
a  battle-field,  we  must  hasten  on  with  the  gallant  general,  who 
renewed  with  yet  deeper  verdure  the  laurels  of  Niagara  on 
the  summits  of  Cerro  Gordo.  Scott  was  no  distant  spectator 
of  the  combat.  He  had  called  others  to  the  field,  and  he  shared 
its  dangers  himself.  Having  prepared  all  things  for  the  storm 
of  the  tower,  (called  by  the  Mexicans  the  Telegraph,)  he  took 
post  at  the  point  Colonel  Harney  charged,  and  under  the  heavy 
fire  of  the  enemy's  artillery.  There  he  witnessed  the  gallant 
charge,  and  there  he  encouraged  the  troops.  It  was  then  that 
he  thus  addressed  Colonel  Harney,  (between  whom  and  him 
self  there  had  been  some  coolness:)  "Colonel  Harney,  I 
cannot  now  adequately  express  my  admiration  of  your  gallant 
achievement,  but  at  the  proper  time  I  shall  take  great  pleasure 
in  thanking  you  in  proper  terms."  Harney,  with  the  modesty 
of  true  valor,  claimed  the  praise  as  due  to  his  officers  and 
men. 

At  this  time  Captain  PATTEN,  an  excellent  officer  of  the  3d 
infantry,  was  wounded,  losing  a  part  of  his  left  hand.  It  was 
in  the  midst  of  the  thunder-crash  of  battle,  when  the  dying  fell 
thickest,  and  when  the  crisis  was  at  hand.  It  was  a  plunging 


154  LIFE    OF    GENERAL    SCOT,T. 

fire ;  and  after  thus  wounding  Captain  Patten,  the  ball  struck 
a  rock  which  it  broke  into  fragments,  one  of  which  cut  down  and 
wounded  the  second  sergeant  of  Captain  Patten's  company. 

While  Captain  Patten  was  yet  in  the  field,  holding  with  his 
right  hand  the  arm  of  the  shattered  left,  General  Scott  rode 
slowly  by,  "  under  a  canopy,"  to  use  Captain  Patten's  ex 
pression,  "  of  cannon-balls."  Seeing  a  wounded  man,  and 
supposing  him  to  be  a  soldier,  he  exclaimed,  slacking  his  pace, 
"  There  is  a  brave  soldier  badly  wounded,  I  fear;"  and  then, 
being  told  by  an  officer  that  it  was  Captain  Patten,  the  General 
halted,  and  called  to  Captain  Patten  to  inquire  the  nature  of 
the  wound  ;  but  in  the  roar  of  battle  he  was  not  heard. 

Captain  Patten  spoke  with  enthusiasm  a»  well  of  the  calm 
and  soldierly  bearing  of  his  gallant  commander,  amid  the 
thickest  and  hottest  of  this  murderous  cannonade,  as  of  his 
ready  sympathy  with,  and  attention  to  the  wounded  men  and 
officers. 

When  the  battle  was  closed,  the  hoped-for  victory  had  become 
reality,  and  the  future  no  longer  absorbed  all  the  mind,  Scott 
hastened  to  the  side  of  the  wounded.  It  was  from  a  hospital 
of  wounded  and  sick,  that  his  first  official  report,  dated  April 
19th,  was  dispatched.  An  officer  who  was  present  in  these 
scenes,  relates  that  General  Scott  visited  in  person  the  wounded, 
and  saw,  himself,  that  they  were  attended  in  the  best  manner. 
His  men  were  in  all  cases,  when  the  events  of  the  campaign 
allowed  him  any  time  for  thought  on  other  subjects,  his  first 
care.  He  was  ever  as  humane  as  heroic.  He  attended  the 
bedside  of  the  sick  with  cholera  in  the  Northwest,  and  he  now 
visited  and  aided,  in  the  hospitals  of  the  wounded  of  Cerro 
Gordo.  Soon  after  this  event,  and  on  the  occupation  of 
Jalapa,  he  caused  the  removal  of  the  wounded  and  sick  to  the 
more  comfortable  and  healthier  quarters  in  that  town.  Among 
these  was  the  brave  Shields,  in  whose  dangerous  condition  he 
deeply  sympathized. 

It  will  be  recollected  that  Santa  Anna's  carriage,  with  a 
large  amount  of  specie,  was  captured,  just  after  the  Mexican 
army  fled  from  the  field.  Whatever  of  this  property  belonged 
personally  to  General  Santa  Anna,  Scott  was  most  careful  to 


156  LIFE    OF    GENERAL    SCOTT. 

return  to  his  agent  and  man  of  business.  It  was  a  principle 
with  General  Scott,  which  he  has  most  carefully  carried 
out,  that  war  was  not  a  scheme  for  robbery,  but  the  honorable 
contest  of  nations  for  national  rights.  He  suffers  no  plunder 
of  private  property,  no  aggression  on  the  rights  of  citizens, 
and  he  is  most  anxious  to  vindicate  the  American  soldier  and 
the  American  name  from  that  barbarism  which  would  convert 
war  into  the  pillage  of  plunderers,  and  the  glory  of  victory 
into  the  grossness  of  brutality. 

From  the  field  of  Cerro  Gordo  the  rout  of  the  Mexican 
army  was  complete.  JALAPA  was  entered  on  the  19th.  The 
strong  position  of  LA  HOYA  was  abandoned,  with  its  artillery 
and  works;  and  on  the  22d  of  April,  Worth  and  his  division 
occupied  the  strong  castle  and  town  of  PEROTE  !  Here  fifty- 
four  pieces  of  cannon,  and  mortars,  (both  bronze  and  iron,) 
eleven  thousand  cannon-balls,  fourteen  thousand  bombs,  and 
five  hundred  muskets,  swelled  the  vast  amount  of  the  muni 
tions  of  war  captured  from  the  army  of  Mexico  ! 

On  the  15th  of  May  General  Worth,  after  encountering  but 
little  resistance,  entered  the  ancient  city  of  Puebla.  Thus,  in 
a  campaign  which  extended  only  from  the  12th  of  March  to 
the  15th  of  May,  the  city  of  Vera  Cruz  had  been  besieged  and 
taken,  the  famed  castle  of  San  Juan  d'Ulloa  had  fallen,  the  battle 
of  Cerro  Gordo  was  fought  and  won,  the  city  of  Jalapa  taken,  the 
castle  and  town  of  Perote  captured,  and  the  fine  city  of  Puebla 
occupied  !  Ten  thousand  men  made  prisoners  of  war,  seven 
hundred  splendid  cannon,  ten  thousand  stand  of  arms,  thirty 
thousand  shells  and  shot,  were  the  spoils  of  the  triumphant 
victories  which  had  attended  the  American  army,  in  a  cam 
paign  of  only  two  months  !  History  has  few  parallels  for  such 
rapid  and  such  brilliant  achievements!  But  a  few  months 
before  an  unguarded  expression  had  made  WINFIELD  SCOTT 
the  mark  of  a  ribald  ridicule  !  Now,  the  government  journal 
pronounces  his  campaign  the  rival  of  European  splendor  in 
war,  eloquence  is  fervid  in  its  declamatory  praises,  and  the 
more  just  and  grateful  sentiment  of  the  people  renders  back  to 
the  commander  at  Cerro  Gordo,  the  admiration  so  gloriously 
won  on  the  memorable  plains  of  Niagara  ! 


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